HVAC & Air Duct Mold Removal in Waleska, GA

Local conditions in Waleska

Waleska is a small Cherokee County city built around Reinhardt University, about 40 miles north of Atlanta and roughly 7 miles northwest of Canton. Lake Arrowhead, a residential reservoir community, lies about 2 miles west of town. Homes in the area generally rely on central air with ducts running through attics or crawl spaces. Summer humidity makes cold ducts sweat in those spaces, and the AC coil itself produces water every hour it runs. If the pan holds that water or the drain line clogs, mold gets a foothold on the coil, in the pan or in the duct insulation. Units tucked into tight attics are rarely looked at between service calls, so a drain problem can run all season before a stain or smell gives it away. Return ducts with leaky joints in a crawl space can also draw damp air into the system and raise indoor humidity.

Cherokee County was one of four counties designated for FEMA Individual Assistance after the September 2009 floods. Homes where water reached ducts or the air handler then should have them checked if they were never replaced.

Clean versus replace

Signs

• A musty smell that rides in on the airflow
• Dark specks on supply grilles
• Ceiling stains below the attic unit
• Damp or sagging duct wrap under the house

Seasonal and permit notes

Midsummer, when the AC hardly stops, is when clogged drains and sweating ducts show up most; a house that sits closed up for weeks in summer can also build humidity. The Cherokee County Development Service Center permits all construction in unincorporated Cherokee County and the City of Waleska, so ask the contractor whether duct or equipment replacement needs a permit from that office at (770) 721-7810. Cherokee County Environmental Health takes mold complaints and offers information but does not inspect residences.