If mold shows up in a Lithia Springs warehouse, shop, office or rental building, stop the water first, keep people and air away from the area, and have a company remove contaminated materials under containment before rebuilding. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local mold remediation company in Lithia Springs.
Lithia Springs and water
Lithia Springs is an unincorporated community of about 16,600 people in northeastern Douglas County, roughly 16 miles from Atlanta. It was a city until it disincorporated in 2000, so Douglas County now issues building permits and enforces property maintenance. Sweetwater Creek, the Chattahoochee River and George Sparks Reservoir are all close. In the September 2009 floods Sweetwater Creek crested just over 30 feet against a 17-foot flood stage, a two-story home on Hasty Drive was submerged under more than 11 feet of water, and a Lithia Springs business near the creek had trucks and trailers flooded. Commercial property owners near the creek know what that kind of water can leave behind.
What to do now
- Make the building safe and stop the water. After a flood, EPA advises assuming mold growth if materials could not be dried within 24 to 48 hours.
- Keep people out. EPA says people with asthma or weakened immune systems should stay away from moldy areas.
- Do not run the HVAC if it took water or may be contaminated.
- Photograph before removal. Insurers and landlords will ask for it.
- Get a written scope. List every area, the containment and what gets discarded.
- Plan the rebuild with the county. Douglas County Building Permits & Inspections handles permits here.
Signs and their likely causes
| What you see | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| A horizontal stain line on drywall | Past floodwater that wicked upward |
| Musty office in a metal warehouse | Condensation and humid air from dock doors |
| Growth on stored cardboard or pallets | High humidity in an unconditioned bay |
| Ceiling spotting under rooftop units | Condensate pan overflow or roof leak |
Cost factors
Angi's Atlanta cost guide reports $12 to $29 per square foot for residential remediation, a floor for commercial space. After flood water, the number climbs with the height of the water line, the amount of drywall and insulation removed, warehouse ceiling height, HVAC cleaning and rebuild. Douglas County Code Enforcement applies the International Property Maintenance Code in unincorporated areas, which helps tenants with unrepaired leaks. Cobb & Douglas Public Health can answer health questions, though no agency inspects indoor mold. Georgia has no mold license; check any rebuild contractor on GOALS Verify Now.
Commercial Mold Remediation questions in Lithia Springs
How quickly do wet materials need to be dried?
What records should the owner or manager keep?
Who pays for mold in a leased commercial space?
What credentials should we ask a commercial mold company for?
More mold services in Lithia Springs
Commercial Mold Remediation nearby
Sources
- EPA: Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings (pdf)
- EPA: Homeowner's and Renter's Guide to Mold Cleanup After Disasters (pdf)
- Georgia DPH: District Office Directory and Map (pdf)
- Lithia Springs, Georgia (Wikipedia)
- Georgia Bulletin: Flood of biblical proportion submerges home
- Times-Georgian: Two years later, historic flood's wrath still felt
- Douglas County: Building Permits & Inspections
- Douglas County: Code Enforcement
- Angi: Mold Remediation Cost in Atlanta, GA
- Georgia SOS GOALS: Verify Now
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