HVAC & Air Duct Mold Removal in Whites Creek, TN

Whites Creek is a rural part of Metro Nashville about 8 miles north of downtown, with a historic district of farms and buildings dating from the 1830s to the early 1900s. Most homes are owner-occupied. The stream that gives the area its name runs north to south along U.S. 431, and in May 2010 it crested at 25.82 feet at the Bordeaux gauge downstream, more than 6 feet above its 2002 record.

What to do now

1. Switch off the heating and cooling system if you think it's contaminated. EPA cautions that running it can spread mold through the house.
2. Note where the smell is strongest, whether at one register, the return or the air handler.
3. Check for water in or under the equipment and whether the condensate line drips on a hot day.
4. In an older home, find out where the ducts run; added-on systems often snake through crawl spaces or attics.
5. If water got under the house during a storm, write down when and how long it stayed.
6. Ask for an inspection of the whole air path and the space around it.

Clues and likely causes

Cost factors

Angi reports national ranges of about $600 to $2,000 for air duct mold cleaning and $3,000 to $10,000 for mold work on HVAC systems, and Middle Tennessee prices vary. Older homes can mean tight crawl spaces and long, oddly routed duct runs, which add labor. Replacing insulated or flex duct costs more than cleaning metal, and EPA says insulated duct that's wet or moldy generally has to be replaced. Fixing the moisture, whether that's drainage, duct sealing or a new drain line, is part of a job that lasts. Whites Creek is inside Metro, so any permits go through Metro Codes, and in Davidson County residential jobs of $3,000 or more call for the state Home Improvement license.