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Originally Posted On: https://smflathead.com/how-to-deal-with-mold-after-water-damage/

 

Is your household suffering from mold problem after water damage? Here’s everything you should do to restore your house back to normal.
Keyword(s): water damage
Did you know that infants who live in moldy homes are three times more likely to develop asthma by the age of 7? Whatever our age, living with mold is never a good thing. If your home has been affected by water damage, it’s important to tackle the mold problems that come in its wake.

Mold loves moisture, and water damage gets everywhere. Black mold can be growing on your walls, baseboards, and under your flooring. Wherever it’s lurking, you want to get it removed, pronto!

Let’s take a look at how water damage services can help you get your house mold-free.

How to Deal with Mold
Dealing with mold is not for the fainthearted. Those who work with mold professionally use specially designed PPE to keep themselves safe while they remove it.

According to the CDC, the key is to:

Thoroughly clean and dry areas that have been flooded
Control humidity levels
Fix leaks, whether in windows, pipes, or roofs
If your house has been flooded, you know that thoroughly cleaning and drying it is easier said than done. Mold doesn’t take long to get a firm grip on your house. After a flood, it can colonize and become visible in less than three weeks.

Sometimes, you don’t know that you’ve had a leak until it’s already done a lot of damage. If you’ve had a slow leak under the floors, mold may have colonized the area a long time ago. While your first thought might be to repair the damage, don’t forget to address the mold at the same time.

Clearly, a bottle of household bleach and some rubber gloves isn’t going to cut it. That could actually cause more problems.

If you don’t treat it, it won’t just damage your health. Over time, it can attack the very fabric of your house and need serious repairs.

How Water Damage Restoration Companies Can Help
Water damage services have access to equipment that we don’t have lying about the house. They also have the expertise you need to prevent water damage from being a severe mold problem.

The first thing to do is call them in as soon as possible. If you don’t remove every last bit of water, mold is almost certain to develop. And most people simply don’t have the tools needed to do this successfully.

Identifying the Mold
OK, we all know what mold looks like. But water damage restoration services are able to find it in places we might not have looked. The common signs are musty odors and dark spots on the walls, ceilings, or floors.

If you notice that you or your family members are getting sick more often with respiratory illnesses, this can also be a sign that mold has taken hold.

Taking Action
Once the diagnosis has taken place, it’s time to agree on a plan to tackle the problem.

If you call water damage services in quickly, they can use water vacuums to remove excess moisture that’s trapped in carpets. Sometimes, all that is needed to remove the mold is some simple cleaning of floors, surfaces, and walls.

They will use an EPA-approved and tested mold cleaner to do this.

However, if the problem is extensive, you may need mold-damaged materials to be removed. This could involve removing carpets and treating the floorboards beneath. They will then put down fresh carpets.

Mold loves wood and drywall. If mold has penetrated the drywall and it’s not possible to treat it, the company will remove the affected area. They will then sand any affected wood and replace the drywall.

Why Use a Specialist Company?
Mold enters our homes in the air – it’s actually impossible to keep a home totally mold-free.

This means that mold spreads extremely easily. Water damage services can isolate the mold and prevent it from spreading to other parts of the home. They also have access to specialist chemicals that can safely and effectively remove mold outbreaks.

Mold Remediation Services
Mold removal is the first step, but mold remediation goes further. It’s about mitigation strategies – preventing the recurrence of the problem as much as possible.

Following the removal of the affected areas, it’s important to thoroughly sanitize the articles remaining in the room. This could be drapes, cushions, furniture, walls, etc. This process also helps to eliminate odors.

Finally, preventative recommendations will be made. This usually includes educating homeowners on how to regular the humidity in their homes. After water damage, this could also include recommending defenses to protect the home from further damage.

You may also get a post-remediation inspection to check that the mold has not returned.

Does the Type of Mold Matter?
It’s true that there are different types of mold that can develop after water damage. Black mold has long been associated with the worst outcomes. But the evidence doesn’t show it to be any more dangerous than any other type.

However, whatever mold you have, you don’t want it in your house. If you suspect that you have mold, call in a mold remediation service as soon as possible.

Call Service Master Restore for Water Damage Restoration
Having water damage in your home is distressing and expensive enough. Don’t let mold cause a host of other problems on top of it. Protect both your house and your health by calling in the experts.

At Service Master Restore, we specialize in water, fire, and mold restoration services. We’ll get to the bottom of what’s causing the mold and put it right for you. We’ll help you keep your house mold-free for good.

Find your nearest location and call us today!