Mold Testing in College Grove, TN

Is testing different for an older building out here?

The method is the same, but the reading takes more judgment. College Grove is a mostly rural unincorporated community on U.S. Route 31A with a mix of commercial and rural buildings and several historic structures on the National Register. Older buildings often have plaster, wood paneling, stone or block foundations and years of dust in closed rooms, all of which can hold spores that a lab will report. A tester who knows older construction will sample with an outdoor control, compare spore types as well as counts, and pair the results with moisture readings before drawing any conclusion.

Heavy rain flooded the yard and the crawl space. Test first or clean first?

Clean first. Williamson County emergency management says the Harpeth River and its creeks are the main local flood sources, flash floods can come with little warning, and blocked culverts and ditches add to the problem. The May 2010 flood showed that 20 inches or more of rain can fall in two days. If materials stayed wet more than 24 to 48 hours, EPA says to assume mold is growing. Sampling after the cleanup is the better use of the money.

Who should do the sampling, and what will it cost?

Choose someone without a stake in the removal job if you can; Angi recommends separate companies for testing and remediation, though Tennessee doesn't require it. Angi reports a national range of about $250 to $500 for a mold test, more with additional samples. Prices in rural Williamson County vary, and travel time and the number of buildings or rooms sampled will affect the quote.

A local note

Because College Grove is unincorporated, building permits for repairs after mold work come from the Williamson County Building Codes Division in Franklin, and electrical permits for the unincorporated county go through the State of Tennessee. Tenants can contact Williamson County Codes Compliance about permit or property issues the landlord hasn't resolved. The Williamson County Health Department in Franklin can help with health questions. If a test does turn up growth, ask the tester to tie each result to a location and a likely moisture source, so remediation bids are based on the same scope.