Crawl Space Mold Removal in Lithonia, GA

Has flooding affected crawl spaces around Lithonia?

During the September 2009 floods, the National Weather Service recorded the Yellow River at Georgia Highway 124 cresting at 27.47 feet against a 15-foot flood stage, and the South River gauge at Lithonia cresting at 13.55 feet against a 12-foot flood stage on September 21. Events like that are a reminder that water can reach the ground under a house quickly. EPA's post-disaster guidance says that if a home flooded and could not be dried within 24 to 48 hours, you should assume mold growth. A crawl space that took on water in any storm deserves a look, even if the floors above stayed dry.

What if there has been no flood, just a smell?

That is the more common story. Lithonia is a small historic granite-quarrying town in eastern DeKalb County, about 16 miles from downtown Atlanta, and older homes over vented crawl spaces here face the same humid summers as the rest of the metro. Humid air enters through vents, condenses on AC-cooled joists and ducts and soaks the insulation. Red clay holds water after heavy rain. A musty smell, cupping floors or sagging insulation are typical first clues.

What should a renter do?

Notify the landlord in writing and keep a copy; O.C.G.A. 44-7-13 puts the duty to keep the premises in repair on the landlord. Georgia does not allow rent withholding. The City of Lithonia has a Code Enforcement office for property problems the landlord does not address. DeKalb Public Health says it handles mold only for permitted facilities such as restaurants and hotels. This is general information, not legal advice; Georgia Legal Aid can help.

A local note

If removal turns up rotted framing, building permits in Lithonia are handled by the city under Planning and Zoning. Georgia has no state mold license, so for structural repair confirm the company holds a Georgia residential or general contractor license on GOALS Verify Now. Ask, too, how the company will keep the space dry afterward, whether through a new vapor barrier, better drainage or humidity control, since cleaning alone does not stop mold from returning.