Mold in Walls & Drywall in Kingston Springs, TN

Harpeth River history and hillside homes

Kingston Springs grew from a mineral-springs resort on the Harpeth River into a residential town once sewer service arrived in 1989. The river and its wooded floodplain run past Burns Park and Harpeth River State Park. In May 2010 the Harpeth at Kingston Springs crested well above its 1946 record and washed away the river gauge, which had records back to the early 1920s. Floodwater flattened most of the floodplain woods along Burns Park, and volunteers cleared debris from three destroyed houses. A home that took water that spring and was patched quickly can still have hidden damage inside its walls. In the rest of town, the usual culprits are leaks at bathrooms, kitchens and windows, and rain driven against hillside homes.

Cleaned or replaced

Signs to look for

• A stale, earthy smell that gets stronger when the room is closed up.
• Wallpaper or paint lifting, or seams in the drywall showing.
• Baseboards swelling or separating from the wall.
• Dark speckling that comes back after you wipe it.
• A wall that feels cool and damp to the touch on a dry day.

Timing through the year

EPA's rule is to dry wet materials within 24 to 48 hours; a wall that stays wet longer than that after a leak or high water should be treated as moldy until checked. Spring storms are when river levels rise and wind-driven rain finds gaps in siding. Summer humidity is when condensation forms behind furniture on outside walls. Rebuilding framing after removal goes through the Town of Kingston Springs Building and Codes office on Spring Street, which takes permits through its iWorQ portal. Renters can report an unrepaired leak with the town's online property maintenance complaint form.