Mold Remediation in Lebanon, TN

Cedar City

Lebanon is the Wilson County seat, about 25 miles east of downtown Nashville. Nicknamed Cedar City and incorporated in 1801, it's built around a historic Town Square with the statue of General Robert H. Hatton. Cumberland University is here, and so is the Cracker Barrel corporate headquarters.

Spencer Creek and repeat flooding

Homes along Spencer Creek near Lebanon flood repeatedly, and some residents have built berms to protect their houses. Neighbors have pointed to debris piling up under a bridge on Northern Road near Highway 109. Wilson County officials have said the county has seen flood events since 2010 that it hadn't experienced before, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began a county watershed study starting with Spencer Creek. In February 2019, several roads were under water, including Bluebird Road east of Lebanon off I-40.

A house that floods more than once is a hard case for mold. Each event wets the framing, subfloor and insulation again, and materials that never fully dried from the last flood give mold a head start. After any flood, EPA's guidance is that if materials couldn't be dried within 24 to 48 hours, mold should be assumed.

Three questions Lebanon homeowners ask

Should I tear out drywall after one flood? If the wall wicked water and couldn't be dried quickly, the bottom section usually needs to come out so the cavity can dry. Porous materials like carpet and ceiling tiles that got moldy may have to go.

Can I handle it myself? EPA says areas under about 10 square feet are usually homeowner jobs. Larger areas, or mold after significant water damage, need professional help.

What about houses that never flood? They still get mold from roof and plumbing leaks, humid crawl spaces, sweating ductwork and poor attic ventilation. Middle Tennessee's humid summers make all of these worse.

City contacts

The City of Lebanon Building Inspection Department, on North Castle Heights Avenue, takes building permit applications for properties inside city limits and does framing, rough-in, mechanical, plumbing and final inspections. State deputy electrical inspectors handle electrical inspections. Mold removal doesn't need a permit, but rebuilding afterward may.

Codes Enforcement takes complaints through an online form or by phone. Renters with a leak or moisture problem the landlord hasn't fixed can start there.

The Wilson County Health Department, on East Baddour Parkway in Lebanon, is the local public health office. EPA says mold can irritate the eyes, skin, nose, throat and lungs; people with asthma or weakened immune systems should stay away from moldy areas. See a health professional with health concerns.

Licensing and the call

Tennessee requires a contractor's license for projects of $25,000 or more, and mold remediation is the S-F classification. Wilson County isn't on TDCI's list for the separate Home Improvement license. We'll connect you with an independent local company; check it on TDCI's Verify a License search.