Atlanta’s yearly rainfall accumulation falls just shy of 50 inches each year. This is an adequate amount of rain for one city, and one of the results of sufficient rainfall is mold. When moisture is trapped in or confined to an enclosed space, the formation of fungi takes place and spores are created. Spores are the tiny, invisible parts of mold that travel through the air and into our lungs. Once they get into our systems, they can trigger allergies or even make us sick.
Everything listed above is what we don’t want to happen. The Georgia Department of Public Health reported that mold can occur in all types of establishments including homes, rental properties, and public facilities. If you find mold in any of the places listed, here’s who to call.
- Public Facilities: The Georgia Department of Public Health can be contacted when mold is found in public facilities that are housing individuals. These facilities include hotels, motels, campgrounds, bed and breakfasts, and any other type of tourist accommodation. The department will provide a list of contact information for local companies who can be reached by property owners to alleviate the mold issues in these areas.
- Rental Properties: If you are locked into a lease and you discover mold in the property, the next steps depend on the relationship you have with your landlord. By law, landlords and property owners are required to uphold the sanitary and livable conditions of a property, and discovering mold should not provoke any sort of pushback. However, if you plan to rent or are renting already, it is wise to look into your tenant-landlord relationship and lease terms and conditions. If any issues arise, the situation may be subject to a local housing code.
- Private Homes: Homeowners are responsible for any and all mold issues that arise in their private residences. Some sources provide a DIY approach to solving mold issues in the home. However, there are local companies in Atlanta, Georgia that offer mold remediation services in households, and this is undoubtedly the best way to approach these issues. Special tools and machinery work very effectively in removing moisture and odor, while trying to tackle the problem yourself may not always guarantee a solution will be reached.