How Fast Do I Need to React to Water Damage to Keep Mold from Growing?
Your first reaction to water damage in your home will likely be to clean up the water and repair the damage as quickly as possible. But you should also be concerned about the long-term effects of water damage, including the growth of mold. Wait too long to deal with the issue and you might suddenly find your home infested with mold spores, which will spread through your air ducts and affect indoor air quality.
It is in your best interest to take immediate action after experiencing water damage in your home to prevent mold from becoming a problem. If you find yourself asking some of the most common water damage FAQs concerning your Erie County home, here are some issues for you to consider.
Mold can become a problem quickly
Mold will start growing in the proper environment within 48 hours after water damage. This means that, depending on the location of the water damage, it might already have set in before you were even able to discover the water damage had occurred.
Even small leaks can result in mold growth if you fail to discover or address the situation. The unfortunate issue is that many of these leaks occur behind walls, under floorboards or in ceilings, which might make them difficult to identify until they manifest themselves in other ways, such as through dark spots, discoloration or flaking/bubbling of drywall. The combined darkness and moisture make for an ideal spot for mold to grow.
If, however, you are aware of the water damage, you’ll be able to get the area cleaned quickly, which will prevent the mold from building up to such a degree that it will spread throughout your home. In any case, as soon as you discover water damage of any type, you should take immediate action to remedy the problem.
Mold will begin to spread
It doesn’t take too long for mold to start creating new spores that it will send through the air, allowing it to spread throughout your home. It might only be a matter of hours once mold has officially set in. The spores will travel through any opening they can find, be it open air or through air ducts. Mold spores in your air ducts can be particularly problematic, because that gives it a passageway throughout the entire house, aided by forced air conditioning. As the mold spreads, it will affect people’s respiratory health, which is another reason why it’s so important to address the problem quickly.
Dealing with the mold
The best way to prevent mold from growing and spreading after you’ve experienced water damage in your home is to bring in a mold remediation specialist. These professionals will understand the methods they must implement to address mold at the source and prevent it from spreading throughout the home.
To learn more about the mold remediation services we offer and to get answers to your other water damage restoration FAQs in Erie County, we encourage you to contact the mold remediation specialists at Ahold of Mold Environmental today.
Categorised in: Mold Prevention, Water Damage Restoration
