Soaked furnishings, wet wallboard and sodden carpets form a heartbreaking tableau of very personal disaster after water damages a home. Mustering energy to take action is difficult but it’s important to realize that mold rapidly threatens after water recedes. “Mold flourishes anywhere it finds good conditions for growth,” explains Leslie Anderson, Paul Davis Vice President of Training, “even if it’s a small damp area resulting suddenly from a broken toilet seal or a larger expanse damaged gradually by a quietly leaking roof.”
Anderson lists several important reasons why this hazard must be confronted immediately:
Every home, no matter how clean or new, contains countless mold spores.
Mold spores are the most important recyclers on our planet and they are abundant in every natural and indoor environment – with the possible exception of specially built industrial clean rooms. Newer properties and those maintained with scrupulous care may contain fewer mold spores. But make no mistake: even brand new, spic-and-span homes will quickly exhibit mold growth in the right conditions. Flood waters and leaks often carry in additional mold spores, too.
Mold growth begins within 24 and at most 36 hours after a flood.
Soaked materials and enclosed areas create perfect conditions for mold growth: high humidity, still air, temperatures between 40 and 100 degrees Fahrenheit and wet, nutritious substrates. Given these very favorable conditions, mold growth begins within 24-48 hours after flooding starts.
Mold grows quickly on and in many different building materials.
Mold will grow abundantly on wood products, ceiling tiles, cardboard, wallpaper, carpets, drywall, fabric, plants, foods, insulation, and other organic materials. Mold also infiltrates many unseen areas of properties. Ductwork; heating, air conditioning and ventilation systems; roofing materials; wall sheathing; crawlspaces; the undersides of flooring and wall cavities are at high risk for mold growth after flooding.
Once mold growth begins, it becomes far more difficult to restore items. The presence of mold also encourages other bad actors, too, like viruses and bacteria, as well as degrading indoor air quality.
Mold remediation isn’t safe for non-professionals.
Unless it’s scrubbing off isolated surface patches of mildew in the shower, it usually isn’t safe for non-professionals to treat mold. Without proper precautions, mold is dangerous both immediately and long-term to human and pet health. Further, most lay people aren’t familiar with procedures that prevent mold’s return. Experienced professionals like Paul Davis remove water, restore belongings, replace items like carpeting and drywall that can’t be salvaged, deploy industrial equipment to rapidly dry before mold grows and verify moisture levels.
Worried about mold? Call Paul Davis because This Is No Time For Second Best®.