Mold Remediation in Old Hickory, TN

Hadley Bend and the water around it

Old Hickory is a Metro Nashville community in eastern Davidson County, roughly 10 miles from downtown in a straight line. The Cumberland River bounds it on the north and west, Old Hickory Lake lies to the east, and the lock and dam sit just to the north. During the May 2010 flood, the National Weather Service recorded high water at Old Hickory Dam, on the lake and at a bridge over Langford Cove. Even in dry years, living this close to that much water means damp air in summer and a steady load on crawl spaces and basements.

Older houses, older weak points

The community began as a DuPont company town, and the Village of Old Hickory historic district still holds the worker bungalows and larger management homes built then, many on the National Register. In the wider Old Hickory area, about 49.7 percent of homes date from before 1980, roughly 68 percent of units are detached houses and about 14 percent are townhouses or other attached units. Decades-old plumbing, roof flashing and ductwork running through a crawl space are the usual places mold starts in houses like these. Townhouse owners should also think about the unit next door, since a shared wall can carry a neighbor's leak into your drywall.

With a historic house, ask the company how it plans to handle original trim, plaster and flooring before anything is torn out. EPA notes that porous materials such as carpet and ceiling tiles may have to be thrown away when moldy, but solid wood can often be cleaned.

Metro rules that apply here

Because Old Hickory is inside Metro, building permits come from Metro Codes, and registered contractors apply through ePermits. Cleanup itself is not permitted work, but replacing supporting walls or altering load-bearing members after mold removal does need a permit. For flood risk, Metro Water Services points owners to FEMA flood maps and its Parcel Viewer, and its Development Services Division can provide a property's flood zone and elevation details. Metro also notes that land outside the mapped flood area is not guaranteed to stay dry.

Renters with a leak or moisture problem the landlord hasn't fixed can report it to Metro Codes Property Standards through hubNashville or the Codes Hotline. Metro Public Health's handout "Mold, Moisture, and Your Home" covers the basics, and health questions belong with a health professional.

Calling and choosing a company

You'll be connected with an independent local company, not a crew from this site. Have ready where the water came from and when things got wet. Larger jobs of $25,000 or more require a contractor holding the Tennessee contractor's license with the mold remediation (S-F) classification, and Davidson County is one of the counties where residential jobs from $3,000 up need the state Home Improvement license. Check any company on TDCI's Verify a License search.