So, the only way to prevent mold from infesting your home following an incident with water damage is to dry the premises within the first 48 hours after the water intrusion. From the above, it can be concluded that there is a hour window between the water intrusion and the beginning of mold growth.
If the flooded areas are completely dried off within this time-gap, mold has very little chance to develop. Drying the flooded areas within the first 48 hours after the incident can prevent mold from forming. Proper drying , however, is quite difficult. Water can find its way into all kinds of materials and spread into walls, under floors, and through ceilings on its route to the lowest point in the house. Extracting the excess water from the home and opening a door or window to allow air flow from the outside will not dry out these inaccessible areas in time.
And if any amount of moisture, however small, remains lingering inside the wall cavities, behind the baseboards, or under the carpet padding, mold will have more than enough time to start developing before it all dries up.
Besides, people usually focus their efforts on drying the room that was flooded and neglect nearby areas where water may have flowed hidden inside wall cavities or under carpet or tile. So, even if a person thinks that the property is dried out, enough moisture may be left behind to allow mold to start growing. The experts have the technical know-how and the specialized equipment needed to safely remove standing water, locate hidden issues, and thoroughly dry your home, preventing further damage and mold growth.
At ServiceMaster Restoration Services , we use industrial air movers and dehumidifiers to evaporate the moisture from the affected materials and then draw that moisture from the air and pump it out of the home, thus stopping mold from forming in your property.
Our highly effective tools, procedures, and techniques allow us to keep drying times to a minimum — and faster drying means less time and smaller chance for mold to develop, which helps avoid costly repairs and health problems that occur as a result of fungal contamination.
All it takes is eliminating the moisture before mold has had the chance to start growing. But how quickly does mold grow after a flood or moisture problem? According to the Environmental Protection Agency EPA , mold typically takes 24 to 48 hours to grow after a flood if the right conditions are met. However, it depends on the type of surfaces and materials, amount of moisture, and temperature. Indoors, mold generally grows faster on softer surfaces in darker, warmer 70 degrees or more , and more humid environments.
The chance for mold spores to spread from one area to another also increases with time. These microorganisms can quickly fill the air and spread throughout your home, affecting more and more areas and endangering your health with every passing hour. Mold spores that start to colonize on surfaces within 24 hours become visible in about 18 to 21 days of the flooding. But that happens if nothing has been done to dry the water and restore the affected surfaces.
The faster the cleanup and drying takes place, the smaller the chances of major mold growth. If you have a lot of water in the house, hiring a water damage restoration company may be your best bet to get your home back in order as fast and as cost-efficiently as possible.
A restoration professional is even more critical for saving your home if it was flooded with more contaminated water like sewage.
Mold can be extremely harmful to people. Many of the symptoms related to mold resembles that of a common cold or allergy condition. Therefore, often times the appropriate diagnoses goes undetected. However, most common symptoms that are associated with mold exposure are:. In addition, mold can also cause very serious conditions, and can be fatal to infants, seniors, and adults with previously compromised immune systems. Call us today for a free consultation or by email at: [email protected].
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