Flooding and Mold Treatments

Flooding is a major cause of mold in homes. If your home has ever been flooded, then you could have a severe mold problem. Recently flooded homes most often need cleaning and mold experts to supervise restorations. When flooding occurs it can bring with it a lot of dirt, grime, and other contaminants. Professionals can make sure that no mold is present when you move back into your home and offer advice on how to prevent any colonies from forming.

Getting Rid Of Standing Water

The first step is to get water out of your living area as soon as possible. The longer there is standing water, the more damage is occurring to your home. A pump may be necessary to get rid of water promptly.

Remove Carpeting

Carpeting is often a total loss if it receives flood damage. The padding that is below a carpet is extremely hard to get dry. Removing carpet is very time consuming so it can cost a lot to do. Insurance companies often cover this cost if you have a flood policy. Unless a carpet is very valuable, then it is rarely worth saving. ISCT agrees with EPA recommendations that all saturated carpet should be removed and discarded.

Treating Walls

How deep the water is and how long it stands will be a major determining factor when it comes to treating walls. Drywall is often completely unsalvageable if flooded so it must be removed and walls allowed to dry before rebuilding the interior wall. Typically drywall is cut and removed 12” past and water stains, this is otherwise known as a “flood cut”.

Books, and Other Household Items

Books and clothing can grow mold rapidly so they should be removed as soon as possible to start the drying process. In many cases, items are not worth saving due to the labor involved or the damage done. The reason for this is that they are porous materials that often have oils from peoples hands that act as moisture, almost the perfect environment to start growth.

Clothing

Even though clothing is a porous material, it can easily be thrown in the wash when flooding occurs. However, if it has been deeply penetrated and been somewhere with high levels of mold growth for a long period of time these items may have to be discarded as well.

Increase Ventilation

After damaged items are removed, then it is important to increase ventilation as much as possible to dry out any surface that was flooded. Avoid storing or setting objects in damaged areas until it is completely dry. Large fans can be rented or purchased to help facilitate the process.

Stay Somewhere Else

While it may be tempting to stay in a part of your home while flooding repairs are done, it is not a safe or healthy environment unless the damage is outside of the regular living environment like a basement or attic. Staying with a friend or relative may be advisable. Flood insurance often cover the cost of hotel rooms and other living expenses if your home is deemed temporarily uninhabitable.

Clean All Belongings Thoroughly

Any belongings in a flooded home should be taken out and cleaned. Do not return items to your home until you are sure that mold is not present, and it is completely dried out.

Hiring a Professional to Deal with a Flood

Even you experience any type of flooding in your home it is extremely important that you hire a professional restoration company to complete the dry out right away. Mold can start to grow in as little as 24-48 hours and it may even occur even if you do hire a professional. The problem is if you do not act quickly, your insurance company may end up blaming the mold growth on you attempt to not pay your claim.