Crawl Space Mold Removal in East Point, GA

Why is there mold under my East Point house when the rooms look fine?

A crawl space can stay damp for months without anyone noticing upstairs. East Point sits about 7 miles southwest of downtown Atlanta, and like the rest of the metro it spends much of the year humid. Warm, moist air drifts in through foundation vents and condenses on joists and ducts that the air conditioning has cooled. Clay soil under the house holds water after heavy storms, and a downspout that dumps beside the foundation can keep one corner wet for weeks. Mold on the framing is often the first sign that something below needs attention, well before stains or odors reach the living space.

Do I need encapsulation, or just cleanup?

Those are two separate jobs. Cleanup deals with the growth that is already there: insulation that is wet or moldy gets bagged and removed, and the framing is scrubbed, sanded or otherwise cleaned and then dried. Encapsulation is a moisture strategy that lines the floor and walls of the space, closes the vents and usually adds a dehumidifier. Some homes need it; others are fine once gutters, grading and a vapor barrier are fixed. Ask any company to explain why its plan suits your house, and be wary of a bid that only sprays a product over damp wood, since EPA advises against painting or caulking over mold.

I rent. Who handles a crawl space that keeps getting wet?

Georgia law (O.C.G.A. 44-7-13) puts repairs on the landlord, and Georgia Legal Aid advises putting repair requests in writing and keeping a copy. Georgia does not allow tenants to withhold rent. If a leak or drainage problem goes unfixed, East Point's code enforcement unit, which sits within the police department's support services, is the local office for property maintenance complaints. The Fulton County Board of Health says it does not respond to mold complaints. This is general information, not legal advice.

A note on rebuilding

If removal uncovers rotted sill plates, joists or subfloor, the repair is construction work. East Point's Planning and Community Development Permits Division issues permits for renovations, so check with that office before replacement starts. Georgia has no state mold license, but a company doing that kind of rebuild should hold a Georgia residential or general contractor license, which you can confirm on the Secretary of State's GOALS Verify Now lookup.