Attic Mold Removal in Old Hickory, TN

Bungalows, lake air and attic moisture

Old Hickory occupies Hadley Bend in eastern Davidson County, about 10 miles from downtown, ringed by the Cumberland River on the north and west and Old Hickory Lake on the east. It began as a DuPont company town, and the Village of Old Hickory historic district still holds the worker bungalows and larger management homes from that era, many listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Across the wider Old Hickory area, about 49.7 percent of homes were built before 1980; roughly 68 percent of units are detached houses and about 14 percent are townhouses or attached units. With water on three sides, summer air stays humid, and older houses usually have more gaps between the living space and the attic for that moisture to travel through.

Attics in older bungalows are often low and tight, and some have been partly finished into rooms, which makes access and the choice of cleaning method a bigger part of the job. Ask how original materials will be handled before anything is removed. In attached homes, ask whether the attic space runs over the neighboring unit too.

Comparing cleaning methods

Signs to look for

Watch for a gray or black film on the underside of the roof boards, insulation that has gone dark or flat in patches, rusty nail points, and stains on upstairs ceilings or around light fixtures. A musty smell that gets stronger in a cold snap or after a long rain usually means the attic is holding moisture.

Timing and local rules

Condensation tends to show in late winter, and storm leaks after spring rain. The May 2010 flood brought high water to Old Hickory Dam, the lake and Langford Cove; any home that took water downstairs and dried slowly can carry extra humidity upward for months, so an attic check belongs on any list after a flood. Metro Codes issues permits for structural repairs such as replacing rafters. In Davidson County, residential jobs of $3,000 to under $25,000 call for the state Home Improvement license. Renters with an unrepaired leak can report it to Metro Codes Property Standards.