Mold in Walls & Drywall in Hermitage, TN

Hermitage at a glance

Hermitage is a suburban part of Metro Nashville about 9 miles east of downtown, between the Stones River and the Clover Bottom bottomlands, with Stoners Creek also running through ZIP 37076. During the March 2021 flash flooding, Hermitage measured 7.16 inches of rain and a Kroger on Old Hickory Boulevard flooded. Housing ranges from starter homes to larger residences, and about 48 percent of households in the ZIP rent, so many wall leaks here involve a landlord. Only about a quarter of homes were built before 1980, but newer drywall soaks up a leak just as fast as old plaster.

What to do now

1. Stop the water at the fixture or main shutoff if you can find it.
2. If you rent, notify the landlord in writing the same day and keep a copy.
3. Leave the stained area alone; scraping or sanding spreads spores.
4. Move furniture off the wall and open the room so it can dry.
5. Keep humidity under 60 percent with AC or a dehumidifier, per EPA.
6. Photograph the wall, the ceiling above it and the floor below it.
7. If an upstairs unit or neighbor is the source, let them know too, since the leak may be on their side.

Signs and their usual causes

Cost factors

Angi reports a national range of about $1,000 to $20,000 for mold in walls; Middle Tennessee prices vary. The price grows with each additional wall or room opened, insulation and trim removal, containment, drying time and any rebuild. Davidson County is on the state's Home Improvement license list, so residential jobs from $3,000 up to $25,000 call for that license, and $25,000 or more needs a contractor's license with the S-F classification. Replacing load-bearing framing requires a Metro Codes permit, and renters can report unrepaired leaks to Metro Codes Property Standards.