How to Prevent Mold Growth After Water Damage

1/17/2018 (Permalink)

If you find mold or suspect mold in your home or business, leave it alone and give us a call instead. We offer free mold inspections.

How to Prevent Mold Growth After Water Damage

When a water damage remediation is handled properly, the chance for mold growth should remain small.  Choosing the right water restoration company plays a big part in preventing mold growth after a water damage.

Water Damage Restoration Tips

Make sure the water damage company you hire does the following:

• Makes you a priority.  If you give them a call and they don’t give you a specific time frame for arrival, look elsewhere.  A water damage needs to start being remediated as quickly as possible to avoid secondary damage. Mold growth, for example, starts after only 48 hours.

• Uses professional equipment.  They should use at least use air movers or axial fans and dehumidifiers.  More advanced restoration companies may also use water extraction mats to help save hardwood floors.  

• Disinfectant affected areas.  This is especially important when your water damage is a Category 2 or Category 3 (gray or black water).  These categories of water have contaminants that can be unsafe to the touch.

• Has a drying plan.  If the company you hire just wants to just perform water removal, they are not completing the project properly.  Find someone else who will do the job right.

• Use professional equipment to monitor the drying process.  The right water restoration company will visit your property every day.  They will make sure the humidity in your home is decreasing and everything is drying quickly.  They should write down all of their data and be able to present it to you or your insurance adjuster upon request.
• Can work with your insurance company.  There are lots of small companies that are willing to send you a bill, but not everyone has the experience to work with all insurance companies to process your water damage claim.  

Water Damages and Mold

Mold grows in humid environments, so it's natural that mold growth happens readily after a water damage.  Your water damage restoration company should do all they can to prevent mold growth after a damage. It’s still important to be knowledgeable about mold growth yourself to prevent another disaster.

What is Mold?

Mold is a fungus that is naturally occurring in our environment.  It cannot be completely removed. Many restoration businesses advertise “mold removal” and even guarantee to remove all mold.  This isn’t possible. What you are going to be doing is removing the triggers in your home that can trigger a mold infestation.

Where Mold Growth is Likely

Mold is likely to grow in places that are 

• Dark

• Warm

• Humid 

These places include

• Under sinks (kitchen and bathroom)

• Bathrooms

• Laundry rooms

• Near water heaters
• Behind walls where water pipes are laid

Mold growth is also likely to grow in places that have previously had a water damage that wasn’t dried properly.  

Sign of Mold Growth

If you smell something musty in the air or see colored spots growing on your walls, you may have mold.  Common mold colors are black, white, and green.

If you find mold or suspect mold in your home or business, leave it alone and give us a call instead.  We offer free mold inspections.

Mold Prevention Tips

1. Fix anything that is leaking.  

That includes pipes, windows, and your roof.  A leak that isn’t fixed will eventually cause mold growth and damage the structure that is absorbing its moisture.  Most people discover a leak when they see secondary damage to their home. Examples include a small pool of water on the floor or a water spot on their ceiling.

If you find water damage to your ceiling, read our article “Ceiling Water Damage” and know what the next steps to take are.

2. Control the humidity in your home.  

Mold likes to grow in high humidity.  An appropriate humidity level for your home is 40-50% Relative Humidity (RH).  In the winter months, it may be lower than 40% RH. You can purchase a home hygrometer and temperature gauge at your local home and hardware store or online for less than $10.

3. Ventilate humid areas.  

Humid areas in homes are typically the kitchen, shower, and laundry areas where warm water is used.  After doing any of these activities, turn on your ventilation fan.

4. Hire an experienced and proven water damage cleanup company.  

If your property experiences flooding, hire a company with a record of successfully cleaning water damages from properties.  This company should be easy to find online and have a long reputation as a leader in the restoration industry. Make sure they have a 24 hour emergency line and that they can serve you as your emergency starts.

Trusted Leader in Water Damage Restoration and Fire Damage Restoration in Collin County, North Texas

SERVPRO of Richardson is a water damage restoration and fire and smoke damage restoration company on the border of Richardson and Plano Texas.  We have performed Richardson mold removal and other work in Dallas, Plano, Grapevine, McKinney, Frisco, Allen, and other North Texas communities in Collin County for over 30 years.  We also have a Texas Mold Remediation Contractor License and offer free mold inspections.

Our crews are available dispatch for 24 hour emergencies every day of the year.  We can be reached 24/7 at (972) 690-1414.  Call us any time!

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www.SERVPROrichardson.com

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