How to prevent mold after water damage in your property?

Prevent mold after water damage in your property. Leaking pipes, blocked drains, clogged gutters, thunderstorms, tropical storms, hurricanes, flash floods are some of the causes of water damage in properties. The majority of us can be surprised by water damage at home or even in our company or business. Knowing how to act during and after this unpleasant situation is the starting point to prevent the growth of mold.

The first piece of advice we want to give you is: act fast.

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), after water damages the affected area, the materials and furnishings have to be clean and dry within 24 and 48 hours to prevent the development of mold.

Relation between water damage and mold

Mold belongs to a large kind of fungi and it reproduces by spores through the air and we can find these spores almost everywhere, but indoors is not so good. To grow inside our properties, mold needs organic food (paper, wood, fabric, wool, rugs, carpets, drywall, etc.), a fresh temperature environment, between 68 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit and moisture.

For the growth of mold, humidity plays an important role and after water damage, the perfect conditions are created. That is why it is so important to know the following steps after water damage.

What to do after water damage?

If you suffer water damage at home or the workplace, the first thing to do is remove the standing water as soon as possible. Then, ventilate the place, open doors, and windows, run fans, let the air flows. 

The next step is to remove all the wet items (furnishings, carpets, boxes, etc.) and evaluate them, in many cases carpets, wallpaper and absorbent materials have to be replaced. Once the items are removed it is time to clean and dry the area.

Water damage restoration service

The better way to ensure mold is not going to grow in your property is by getting a Water Damage Restoration. Restoration Control offers you a professional service with the best equipment to dry out your place and repair the damage. We are available 24/7 to deal with any emergency. We understand the importance of acting fast for preventing mold. 

Normally homeowners are not able to fully dry out all the affected areas by water. Drying, cleaning, removing, and sanitizing requires time, patience, and experience. If you have water damage, trust us, we can help you to resolve it and prevent a mold problem.

If you suffered a flash flood or water damage in your basement don’t doubt about calling us, in these cases, it is almost impossible to dry out all your place on your own. We have all the equipment and a team of experts ready to resolve your problem and prevent growth mold in the future.

Signs that you have mold after water damage

 

Pay attention

If you suffered water damage and you didn’t follow the previous steps and you think you might have mold and mildew there are visible signs in the environment and even our body can give us clues.

 

– Visible signs of mold at home:

• You can feel a musty or earthy smell. 
• Discoloration or color changes of the walls.
• The paint or wallpaper is cracking.
• Color or dark spots on the walls.
• Warped wood.
• Velvet texture on the walls.

-Physical signs of mold at home:

• Runny nose
• Skin rash 
• Eye irritation
• Congestion
• Frequent allergies
• Coughing
• Sore throat
• Sneezing 
• Asthma 

Once you identify some of these signs it is time to take action against mold, delay decisions can cause not only problems with the structure or your property but also health problems.

 

Mold test:

If you suspect the presence of mold, the best decision is to get a Mold Test Service, it can help you to know which is the affected area, the type of mold that is growing, and its presence in the air. 

A professional Mold Tester, like the service we offer, will take samples of the surfaces of your property, which are sent to a laboratory. The result of the scientific analysis will indicate the next step to get rid of mold: Mold Remediation and Removal Service.

What kind of mold grows from water damage?

Normally you can find two types of mold at home, allergics, and toxics. The allergic ones cause or increase allergic reactions. Those classified as toxics spread toxins into the air, those travel through the environment until they get into our respiratory tract.

Allergic:

• Chaetomium
• Ulocladium
• Mucor
• Alternaria
• Aureobasidium
• Serpula
• Penicillium

Toxic:

• Stachybotrys (Known as Black Mold)
• Trichoderma

Can mold from water damage make you sick?

The short answer is yes. The relation between mold and health issues is constantly studied by the scientific community with the purpose to understand if mold can severely affect human health.

According to the EPA, mold indoors can be potentially dangerous for health. They can cause allergic reactions, in patients with asthma mold can increase the attacks. 

Also, being constantly exposed to damp and moldy places increases the probability of suffering respiratory infections, lung diseases, bronchitis, and weakened immune systems.