Black Mold Removal in Columbia, TN

Columbia and the Duck River

Columbia is the Maury County seat, about 41 miles from Nashville, and it grew up along the Duck River, the longest river entirely inside Tennessee. In May 2010 the Duck at Columbia reached 44.91 feet, its seventh highest level on record. In February 2019 it crested at 42 feet, the highest since 1991; fire and police crews went door to door asking Riverside residents from 3rd Avenue south to Riverside Drive to leave, riverside parks went underwater and some nearby buildings took on water. About 37 percent of occupied homes in the city are rented.

What to do now

1. If river or storm water came inside, start drying immediately. The Tennessee Department of Health warns mold can begin growing within 48 hours of flooding.
2. Discard wet items that cannot be cleaned and dried within that window.
3. For an everyday leak, shut off the water to the fixture and open the area to dry.
4. Check the basement. The state's Healthy Homes guidance notes that basements often run above 50 percent relative humidity and need moisture reduction.
5. Keep anyone with asthma or a weakened immune system away from the work.
6. Renters should notify the landlord in writing; Columbia Codes Enforcement handles property maintenance complaints.

Signs and likely causes

Cost factors

Angi reports a national typical range of $1,223 to $3,758 for remediation and $500 to $3,000 for a basement; Middle Tennessee prices vary. Square footage, the amount of drywall and flooring removed, and access shape the quote. Columbia takes part in the National Flood Insurance Program, and its Development Services department handles floodplain questions and links the city's FEMA map panels. Rebuilding permits come from the Building Inspections office in Development Services. Maury County is not on the Home Improvement license list, but projects of $25,000 or more require a Tennessee contractor's license with the S-F classification.