Mold Remediation in Lithia Springs, GA

Creek country

Water defines Lithia Springs. Sweetwater Creek, a Chattahoochee River tributary, runs through the area, the Chattahoochee itself is close, and George Sparks Reservoir sits inside Sweetwater Creek State Park. During the September 2009 floods, Sweetwater Creek crested just over 30 feet against a flood stage of 17. A two-story home on Hasty Drive in Lithia Springs was submerged under more than 11 feet of water, and a business near the creek had its trucks and trailers flooded. Seven people died across Douglas County.

EPA says a home that took on floodwater and couldn't be dried within 24 to 48 hours should be treated as having mold. Wear at least an N-95 respirator during cleanup, and keep children and anyone with asthma or a weakened immune system away from the site.

Unincorporated since 2000

Lithia Springs disincorporated in 2000 and is now an unincorporated census-designated place in northeastern Douglas County, with about 16,600 residents at the 2020 Census. It's around 16 miles west of downtown Atlanta in a straight line. The name comes from its lithia mineral springs, which made it a health-resort destination in the 1880s. Thornton Road, Lee Road, Blair Bridge Road and Factory Shoals Road are the main routes, and Woodrow Wilson Park is a local landmark.

Most mold isn't flood mold

A roof leak, a plumbing drip, a clogged condensate line or a crawl space that stays humid through a long Georgia summer will grow mold just as surely as a creek. EPA's core advice is that moisture control is mold control: fix the water problem or the mold returns.

County offices

Because Lithia Springs has no city government, Douglas County handles permits and code:

• Building permits: Douglas County Building Permits & Inspections on Timber Ridge Drive in Douglasville. Rebuilding framing or subfloor after removal may need a permit.
• Code enforcement: Douglas County Code Enforcement, in Development Services, enforces the International Property Maintenance Code in unincorporated areas. Renters with an unfixed leak can file there.
• Public health: Cobb & Douglas Public Health.

Georgia law (O.C.G.A. 44-7-13) requires landlords to keep rentals in repair; give written notice and keep copies. Georgia doesn't allow rent withholding. This is general information, not legal advice.

Hiring

Georgia has no license for mold work, and DPH says there are no enforceable state or federal mold standards. For any job with rebuilding, check the company's Georgia residential or general contractor license on GOALS Verify Now. Calling the number on this page connects you with an independent local company; mention if the house has ever flooded.