Commercial Mold Remediation in Lawrenceville, GA

What makes Lawrenceville buildings wet

Lawrenceville sits about 27 miles northeast of Atlanta in the Yellow River watershed. Gwinnett County Stormwater Management reported that the heaviest rain of the September 2009 floods fell near Lawrenceville, with roughly 19 inches over eight days in parts of the watershed, and National Weather Service gauges in town on Pew Creek, Shoal Creek and the Alcovy River all crested above flood stage on September 21, 2009. A commercial building that took water then, or in any storm since, and was never opened up can still hold damp framing behind finished walls.

Day to day, the causes are more ordinary: flat or low-slope roofs that pond after summer thunderstorms, rooftop units with clogged condensate lines, and plumbing shared between tenant suites. Red clay holds water against slab edges and lower walls. Government offices, courthouse-area law practices, restaurants and apartment communities each bring their own mix: records storage that cannot get damp, kitchens with constant hot water, and stacked units where one leak travels down several floors before anyone reports it.

In-house maintenance or an outside company?

Signs worth a closer look

• Brown rings or sagging in suspended ceiling tile.
• Carpet that stays damp near exterior doors or restrooms.
• A musty smell that gets stronger when the HVAC starts in the morning.
• Bubbling paint or baseboards pulling away along a lower wall.

Timing and permits

EPA says wet materials should be dried within 24 to 48 hours, so the first job after any leak is drying, not cleaning. Late summer, when humidity runs high and storms stack up, is when slow leaks turn into visible growth. Removal itself is not permitted work, but if walls, ceilings or mechanical equipment get rebuilt, the City of Lawrenceville Planning & Development office at City Hall handles plan review and building permits through its LPP portal. Owners of apartment communities should also know the city runs a Multi-Family Rental Housing Ordinance with a compliance certificate.