Flooding and water damage can cause mold growth. If your house is flooded, it will take a few days to a couple of weeks before it dries out, especially the basement. And since mold only needs a wet surface for about 24 hours, you may find a mold problem and be ready for mold abatement.
Some molds are less toxic that others, but those dangerous molds will require extreme conditions to grow. Black mold requires wet material, such as wood to be damp for a few days before it begin to grow. Flooding and water damage can create these conditions putting you at risk of being infested with mold.
Wet clothes
If you forgot to wash wet clothes in your house for long period of time, mold can grow on them as well as nearby surfaces since wet clothes releases moisture. Make sure that you wash your clothes when it becomes wet. Don’t wait for a day or leave them on a pile waiting to be washed since mold will grow on them.
Although drying clothes in a drier is the most convenient way to clean your clothes, it can cause mold growth as well. The drier releases high amount of moisture if the hose is not vented outside. Also, drying clothes indoors can build up moisture in a poor ventilated room.
Damp basement
Basements contain high amount of humidity and moisture compare to other rooms in the house with proper ventilation. Basements are often cooler, therefore the chance of condensation can increase. Condensation can lead to dampness which mold thrive. In addition, water that find its way inside your home will eventually find reach your basement. Mold does not grow in the basement because of dampness alone. Often, the basement is the most neglected part of the house and it is too late when you discover mold has grown in it.
In addition, water at the foundation of the house causes mold. Be on the lookout for water building up around the ground and your yard as it can cause problems on the foundation of your property. If the ground around the house slopes towards your home, there is high possibly that rain water will build up at the foundation. If this cause more than just mold problem, you might need to consider other home restoration project such as landscaping to prevent rain water from building up in the foundation.
Mold abatement companies
Once you have discovered that your home has a mold problem, you will need to decide whether to remove mold yourself or hire professionals to do the job. Often, small mold problems can be removed using simple household cleaning solutions such as chlorine bleach, ammonia, vinegar, and tea tree oil. There are lots of mold DIY mold testing kits and mold abatement kits you can find in your local hardware store.
However, large mold issues, especially those in the basement, the attic, and other crawl spaces require the expertise of mold abatement professionals. Choose companies with licensing and experience in mold removal like Tip Top Restoration. This gives you assurance that mold will be removed from your house and it will not come back again. In addition, choosing professional mold abatement services will allow you to save time in doing the job yourself. You are better of doing other things rather than removing mold.
