Mold Remediation in Hermitage, TN

The March 2021 storm

Hermitage measured 7.16 inches of rain during the March 2021 flash flooding. A Kroger on Old Hickory Boulevard flooded with stalled cars, and nearby roads were impassable. Rain like that overwhelms gutters, saturates the ground around foundations and pushes water into crawl spaces and lower levels even on streets nowhere near a creek.

When that happens, timing matters. EPA says water-damaged materials should be dried within 24 to 48 hours, and if they can't be, mold should be assumed. Pull wet carpet and pad, get air moving, and look at the crawl space, not just the living area.

Rivers and creeks

The Stones River separates Hermitage from Donelson and winds through the Clover Bottom bottomlands; J. Percy Priest Dam impounds it upstream. Stoners Creek also runs through ZIP 37076. Metro Water Services points residents to FEMA flood maps and Metro's Parcel Viewer to check whether a property lies in a Special Flood Hazard Area, and its Development Services Division provides zone and elevation information. Metro notes that properties outside the mapped area aren't guaranteed to stay dry.

The neighborhood and its housing

Hermitage, about 9 miles east of downtown Nashville, was rural land that became a suburban residential and retail district, named for Andrew Jackson's Hermitage. Housing runs from starter homes to executive residences. About 27% of homes in ZIP 37076 were built before 1980, and roughly 48% of households rent.

That mix means mold shows up in different places. In older houses, check crawl spaces, original plumbing and roof penetrations. In newer homes, look at attic ventilation, bath fans and HVAC condensate lines. In apartments, a leak from the unit above can show up as a ceiling stain or a musty closet.

Metro contacts

Hermitage is part of Metro Nashville-Davidson County. Building permits come from Metro Codes, which requires a permit for repairs beyond normal maintenance, such as replacing supporting walls. Renters with a leak the landlord hasn't fixed can report it to Metro Codes Property Standards through hubNashville or the Codes Hotline. Metro Public Health publishes "Mold, Moisture, and Your Home," a plain guide to moisture and mold.

EPA says mold can irritate the eyes, skin, nose, throat and lungs, and people with asthma or weakened immune systems should stay away from moldy areas. Talk to a health professional about health concerns.

Licensing and the call

Davidson County is one of the counties where Tennessee requires a state Home Improvement license for residential work from $3,000 up to $25,000. Work of $25,000 or more needs a Tennessee contractor's license, and mold remediation is the S-F classification. We'll connect you with an independent local company; confirm its status on TDCI's Verify a License search.