Mold & Mildew Cleanup in East Point, GA

Why is my East Point bathroom mildewing every few weeks?

A bathroom that grows a gray film within weeks of cleaning is staying wet too long. In many East Point homes, the fan is undersized, vents into the attic instead of outside, or simply is not used long enough. Cracked grout and failing caulk around the tub let water sit underneath, and an older house over a crawl space adds damp air from below. Start by running the fan during and for 20 minutes after every shower, and replace caulk that has pulled away once the area underneath is clean and dry. If the paint itself is blistering, check the wall behind it for a slow plumbing leak.

Is it safe to clean mildew myself?

For a small area, usually yes. The EPA says patches smaller than about 10 square feet, roughly 3 by 3 feet, can typically be handled by the homeowner. Wear gloves and eye protection, scrub hard surfaces with detergent and water, and dry them fully. According to the EPA, mold can irritate the eyes, skin, nose, throat and lungs, and anyone with asthma or a weakened immune system should leave the cleanup to someone else. Do not paint over growth; remove it first.

Who handles repairs and complaints in East Point?

If cleanup turns into a renovation, the City of East Point Planning and Community Development Permits Division issues permits for renovations and new construction, with Building Inspections as a sister division. Georgia has no state mold license, so for rebuilding drywall or framing ask whether the company holds a Georgia residential or general contractor license and look it up on the Secretary of State's GOALS Verify Now. Renters with a leak the landlord will not fix can turn to code enforcement, which in East Point sits under the police department's support services. Georgia law (O.C.G.A. 44-7-13) requires landlords to keep rentals in repair. This is general information, not legal advice.

One local note

East Point is only about 7 miles from downtown Atlanta, and its housing ranges from older bungalows to apartment complexes near Camp Creek Marketplace. In older houses, check the crawl space door and floor registers if a room smells musty with nothing visible; in apartments, look first at the air handler closet and its drain line. For health questions, the Fulton County Board of Health and the Georgia Department of Public Health's mold page are the places to start.