Mold Removal & Remediation in Nashville, TN

Is this a job for a company or for you?

Measure it. EPA's rough cutoff is 10 square feet, about a 3 ft by 3 ft square. A spot of growth on a bathroom ceiling or around one window frame is usually a weekend cleanup with gloves, an N-95 mask and a fixed leak. Call a remediation company when the growth is bigger than that, when it runs behind drywall or under flooring, when it covers crawl space framing, or when the house took on water and stayed wet for more than a day or two.

Where Nashville mold jobs usually start

• Crawl spaces. Many Middle Tennessee houses sit over vented crawl spaces, where humid summer air meets cool ductwork and floor joists.
• Basements on hillside lots. Older homes and sloped lots often have below-grade walls that seep after heavy spring storms.
• AC condensate. A clogged drain line or rusted drip pan can soak an attic or closet all summer without anyone noticing.
• Flooding. Homes near the Cumberland, the Harpeth, Mill Creek and smaller creeks have a flood history, including May 2010 and March 2021.

How the work should go

1. The water source is found and fixed or scheduled for repair. Metro's mold handout and EPA say the same thing: correct the moisture or the growth comes back.
2. The area is closed off with plastic sheeting, usually with an air scrubber or negative pressure. If the ducts may be contaminated, the HVAC stays off.
3. Moldy porous material such as drywall, insulation, carpet and ceiling tile is cut out and bagged. Nobody should paint or caulk over growth.
4. Framing and hard surfaces are cleaned and dried, and moisture readings are taken before anything is closed in.
5. Rebuild follows. Some companies do it; others leave it to you or a general contractor, which may need a Metro Codes permit if structural parts are replaced.

What it costs

Middle Tennessee prices vary. The size of the affected area, how much material comes out, access to tight crawl spaces or attics, and whether rebuild is included move the number the most.

Checking the company

For a project of $25,000 or more, the contractor must hold a Tennessee contractor's license, and the state's mold remediation classification is S-F. In Davidson, Robertson and Rutherford counties, residential jobs from $3,000 up to $25,000 need the state Home Improvement license. Look the company up on TDCI's Verify a License search. Tennessee does not require separate companies for testing and removal, but hiring an independent inspector to check the finished work keeps everyone honest.