Water Damage Mold

One of the worst outcomes of a leak or natural disaster is water damage mold. That’s because mold can be persistent, is hazardous to your health and is often difficult and costly to get rid of.  However, if you catch it quickly than you can get rid of the mold in your home without too much cost or effort.

Mold loves moisture and it needs an organic surface to live on.  That means that any flooding or leaky pipes which deposit water on your carpet, drywall, wood, fabrics or books is a potential mold hazard.

In order to treat water damage mold quickly, you need to address that as soon as it happens.  In the case of flooding, this may be easier said than done but if you have experienced a burst pipe or a minor flood you need to get to the area right away and mop up the water.  You also want to contact your insurance company, especially if the mold growth has gotten out of hand. Mold grows very quickly and it may be that you need a mold remediation company in which case your insurance adjuster can help.

If there is only a minimal amount of mold, you might try removing it yourself but safety should be a priority. You need to be sure anyone removing the mold wears protective gear and that you seal off that part of the house.  This is because as you are removing the mold, the spores can become airborne and find another place to live in your home.

You need to be sure that you get all the mold. If it is on the carpeting,  the entire carpeting and pad must be removed.  For drywall, a section much larger than the mold should be cut away to insure proper removal. Inspect the entire area with both your eyes and your nose to see if you can visually see or smell mold. It’s critical that you get rid of all the mold or it will just come back.

When cleaning and removing water damage mold, you want to be sure to use fragrance free detergent or something natural like tea tree oil or vinegar.  Many people recommend bleach, however, if you have the area sectioned off, then breathing in the bleach fumes would not be recommended.  When removing the items that are affected with mold, be sure that you seal them in plastic bags before you take them out of the affected area, thus ensuring they do not transferable to other parts of your home