How to Protect Your Home From Mold Following Water Damage
Although water is relaxing, too much of it can cause mold and stress you out. Handling a flooded basement, moldy drywall, or mildewed grout is not fun. It is best to leave this procedure to the professionals like PuroClean because DIY mold removal might cost thousands of dollars in additional remediation and repair costs.
Here are some tips for preventing water damage and the growth of mold as well as how to handle them if they happen.
How Mold Develops Following Water Exposure
Mold isn’t caused by just one thing. Mold may form because of water damage when there is a mix of water, food, temperature, and time.
- Water. Mold can only be grown with water, either in liquid or airborne form. Mold will develop quicker in areas with 80% or higher humidity levels.
- Food. Sometimes, organic products like drywall paper’s wood content, dust, dirt, glues, and other loose debris are called “food” for mold growth.
- Temperature. Mold often can not develop at temperatures below 80 ° F.
- Time. After water damage, mold does not appear right away. A few weeks may pass before the mold appears under specific circumstances.
- Oxygen. For mold to develop, oxygen is necessary. But ample ventilation will dry the area and stop mold growth.
Can You Eliminate The Mold Yourself?
Homeowners should avoid cleaning and eliminating mold independently, which can spread airborne spores from heating and air conditioning systems. There are many ways to kill mold, but they are typically for surface-level mold and not for mold in areas that have been damaged by water.
How to Adequately Address Mold Issues?
Follow these instructions to prevent mold development from starting in the first place.
Regulate Indoor Temperature
Mold and mildew may be avoided by regulating moisture. The worst infestations commonly develop in wet crawl spaces, attics, and walls where outside water has seeped into basements with inadequate foundation drainage. The most efficient defenses include the following:
- Keeping crawl spaces dry
- Avoiding leaks
- Ensuring adequate attic ventilation
- Rerouting water away from the foundation
Take the Worst Contaminants First
Know the difference between clear, gray, and black water damage. Despite appearing clean, clear water still has microorganisms in it. Gray water is dirtier from sinks, showers, and washing machines. The dirtiest water is black because it contains human or animal waste. Before resolving the gray and clear water damage, try to clean up any existing black water damage.
Allow Your Home to Dry Out
Air your house while waiting for a suitable professional to fix your flooding. All windows and doors should be left open, several fans should be installed to push humid air outside, and dehumidifiers should be left running for at least a few days. To reduce the frequency of emptying, look for a humidifier with a bigger container that can hold 60 or more quarts of water daily.
Hire a Professional
Air ducts, walls, and carpets can all serve as hiding places for mold. Avoid turning on your HVAC system if you think it has been affected. Hire a specialist to look over your unit and allow them to handle the cleaning, sanitizing, and restoring of materials that have been damaged. Hiring a skilled mold removal company in your area to evaluate the problem and swiftly restore it to a normal, dry condition is the best option if water damage or a mold problem feels out of control.
Conclusion
While you might believe that using fans and wet-dry vacuums will help you dry out your water-damaged areas, we’ve found that most homeowners only partially dry out the areas. It is advisable to employ a specialist to dry out the water-damaged areas because they frequently deal with mold prevention and cleanup in addition to drying out moist areas with specialist equipment. The expense of professionally drying water-damaged areas is usually nearly covered by insurance.
