Mold Remediation in Murfreesboro, TN

Rutherford County's seat, 30 miles out

Murfreesboro is the county seat of Rutherford County, about 30 miles southeast of downtown Nashville. Middle Tennessee State University is here, and the historic downtown still centers on the courthouse square. Much of the housing is recent: the median house or condo in the city was built in 2006. Newer doesn't mean immune. A slow supply-line drip or a flashing leak soaks drywall in a young house just as fast as in an old one, and humid summers keep crawl spaces damp across the region.

Three ways water gets in

The city names three major flooding sources: sinkholes, the West Fork Stones River and Lytle Creek. Sinkholes surprise people who moved here from somewhere flatter. In March 1975, sinkhole flooding damaged 12 homes on Johnson Street, with water close to 7 feet deep on the first floor. The West Fork has risen more than 15 feet in under 12 hours during major floods, and the city treats December through April as its most critical flood season.

The March 2021 storms dropped about 7 inches of rain on Murfreesboro. The Stones River flowed over Barfield Road, and the West Fork at Murfreesboro crested at 23.05 feet, its third-highest crest on record. EPA's rule after any flood: if wet materials couldn't be dried within 24 to 48 hours, assume mold is growing. The Tennessee Department of Health adds that basements often sitting above 50 percent relative humidity need moisture reduction. Flood coverage is sold separately through the National Flood Insurance Program.

Permits, rentals and health questions

Cleaning out mold isn't permitted work, but rebuilding afterward can be. Inside city limits, the City of Murfreesboro Building and Codes Department handles plan review, inspections and building permits, so check with it before framing or major drywall work goes back in.

About half of the city's occupied homes are rented. A tenant whose landlord hasn't fixed a leak or ongoing moisture problem can file a property maintenance complaint with Building and Codes online or by phone.

The Rutherford County Health Department on West Burton Street is the local public health office. EPA says mold can irritate the eyes, skin, nose, throat and lungs, and that people with asthma or weakened immune systems should stay away from moldy areas. Personal health concerns belong with a health professional.

Before anyone starts work

Rutherford County is one of the counties where Tennessee requires a state Home Improvement license for residential jobs from $3,000 up to $25,000. Projects of $25,000 or more need a Tennessee contractor's license, and the state's mold remediation classification is S-F. TDCI's Verify a License search shows what a company holds. When you call, you'll be connected with an independent local company, so have the water source and a rough start date ready. Tennessee doesn't make the tester and the remover be different businesses, but an independent inspector for the assessment and the final check is sound practice.