Mold Remediation in Dunwoody, GA

Suburban homes and apartments

Dunwoody became a city in 2008 and had about 51,700 residents at the 2020 Census, roughly 14 miles from downtown Atlanta. It pairs a historic village core in Dunwoody Village with the edge-city job center around Perimeter Mall. Residential building took off in the 1960s; Georgetown, from the early 1960s, mixed single-family subdivisions with apartments, and neighborhoods such as Winters Chapel filled in around Chamblee-Dunwoody Road and Peachtree Industrial Boulevard.

The rule renters should know

Dunwoody's tenant resources page draws a clear line. Mold is listed as a non-enforceable code violation. Interior water leaks, roof disrepair and broken gutters are enforceable by Code Enforcement. Since nearly every mold problem has a leak or water source behind it, frame your complaint around the water.

1. Send your landlord or property manager a written repair request describing the leak and the damage, and keep a copy. Georgia Legal Aid says a landlord must have notice before being required to repair.
2. Photograph the source: the ceiling stain under an upstairs unit, the dripping supply line, the overflowing gutter.
3. If repairs don't happen, report it through the city's Central Square portal or the Compliance Hotline at 678-382-6890.
4. Keep paying rent. Georgia law does not permit rent withholding.

Landlords must keep rentals in repair under O.C.G.A. 44-7-13. This is general information, not legal advice.

For homeowners

Houses built in the 1960s and later commonly have air handlers in attics or basements and lots of ductwork, and Georgia's long cooling season means their drain lines run for months. A clog or a cracked pan can soak a ceiling or basement floor. Bathrooms with weak exhaust fans, slow leaks under sinks, and basement walls that seep after storms round out the list. EPA recommends drying wet materials within 24 to 48 hours and keeping humidity under 60 percent.

If the growth is limited to a small area on a hard surface, under about 10 square feet, EPA says most homeowners can clean it with detergent and water after fixing the leak. Larger areas call for a company that seals off the room.

When the cleanup is done and walls need rebuilding, Dunwoody Community Development's Permits and Inspections office can say whether a permit is needed; contact permits@dunwoodyga.gov or 678-382-6821.

Choosing a company

Georgia has no state mold license or certification. Georgia law defines a residential contractor by work over $2,500, so for jobs that include rebuilding, ask whether the company holds a Georgia residential or general contractor license and check it on GOALS Verify Now. Angi's Atlanta cost guide reports attic remediation at $1,174 to $4,696 and basement work at $587 to $3,522.