Top 10 Tips for Preventing Mold after Your home is Water Damaged

7/10/2018 (Permalink)

Mold can grow quickly in your home.

When a flood has contributed to mold damage in a home, due to either a serious water leak in the house or a natural disaster, mold can start to develop very quickly, sometimes in just a mere 48 hours. It is true that many types of mold are relatively benign, but there are other types that can cause health problems, such as irritation of the eyes, throat, and nose. Other common symptoms that mold can cause are respiratory problems, lethargy, headaches, and vomiting. To protect the health of everyone in the home, it is crucial to start thoroughly cleaning up as soon as possible after damage has occurred.

1. Keep doors and windows open to maximize ventilation and help air dry your home. If the power is working and you know it is safe, turn on fans as well to expedite the drying.
2. Remove and dispose of any wall to wall padding and carpeting. Wet carpets can take a very long time to dry, and the underlying floor will be ruined in the process.
3. Throw out any upholstered pillows, mattresses, and furniture. These are very difficult to clean properly and take too long to dry. These are ideal conditions in which mold can grow.
4. Any wallboard that has come into contact with water should be taken out. If it is wet, it will swell up and deteriorate, providing an environment in which mold can grow.
5. Throw away any wet papers and books that do not have value. Copy any important documents, and dispose of the originals if you can.
6. Mop up ceramic and vinyl flooring with a disinfecting cleaning solution. Ensure that any underlayment is properly dried.
7. Wash or dry clean curtains and draperies according to instructions given by the manufacturers.
8. Extract as much water from hardwood floors as you can, and do this immediately. Use dehumidifiers and fans to expedite this, but do not use heat, which runs the risk of warping the floor.
9. Remove and throw out any wet ceiling tiles. Let the area dry completely before putting in a new ceiling.
10. If the damage is severe, you may have to bring in a water remediation service, in order to dry your house out quickly. Keep in mind that in cases of water damage, the sooner you handle it, the higher the chance that you can stop mold from developing. 

We are trained mold damage responsive specialists that can bring your home or business back to normal, with specific training and certifications to handle your restoration needs including black mold, mold removal, and household mold removal, restoration, bathroom mold, and mold cleanup. 

We live and work in this community too; we might even be neighbors. As a locally owned and operated business, SERVPRO of Bowie is close by and ready to help with your mold-damaged property.