After a flood, the damage to your belongings can take its toll. Unfortunately, that’s not the only thing to worry about. A severely water-damaged area is a prime place for mold to grow. Once water damage has occurred, it’s essential to hire someone to remove the mold damage immediately to minimize any severe contamination of your home.
How Long Until Mold Grows?
So the question remains: exactly how long after a flood do you have until the mold grows? According to the Environmental Protection Agency, mold can start growing anywhere from 24 to 48 hours after the flood. There are a few different factors that can affect how it develops. Factors include the kind of materials and surfaces it’s on, as well as temperature and moisture. The general rule of thumb dictates that when it’s indoors, the darker, warmer, and more humid it is, the faster mold will grow.
While the mold spores can start forming in 24 to 48 hours, they won’t become visible to the human eye until about 18 to 21 days after the flood. This is because the spores take that time to grow. As such, treating water damage as soon as possible combats mold growth.
What Should You Do if Mold Grows in Your Home?
While it’s not entirely impossible to try and clean mold yourself, you shouldn’t. First, bleach isn’t going to clean mold. As great a cleaner as bleach can be, it’s not going to be enough to eliminate mold spores from your home. A professional will have several industry-standard cleaners that are a surefire way to get rid of mold.
The second reason is your safety. Mold can be dangerous, and exposure to it can lead to several health issues for you and your family. Getting hands-on puts you in harm’s way. When you hire a professional, they can handle removing the mold so you’re not exposed to it. They also have proper protective attire to keep themselves safe in the process, ensuring that no one is needlessly exposed to mold.
Symptoms of Mold Growth
You should expect mold growth after a flood. However, you should also take care to familiarize yourself with the common signs and symptoms of mold.
A foul, musky odor around the house is one of the earliest signs of mold. Physical growth in the form of dark spots is another common sign.
However, homeowners in Portland should be aware of the physical symptoms they may develop due to mold exposure. Coughing, sneezing, and watery eyes are common mold allergy symptoms. But remember, mold can also cause headaches, skin irritation, and insomnia. If you develop these symptoms, mold growth may be to blame.
Likewise, if you only experience symptoms in a particular room or anytime you’re in your house, it’s likely a sign of mold.
How Does Mold Get Treated?
First, materials with mold are removed and disposed of. This reduces the mold in the house and makes the cleanup process easier.
After that, the cleaning process itself begins. A professional will have industry-standard cleaners on hand and will thoroughly clean all of the mold from the area. Ultimately, this will not remove every piece of mold, but it will keep mold spores to an absolute minimum and prevent them from spreading.
Then moisture is removed from the area using dehumidifiers and other tools that help keep the site dry. This will keep mold from growing and stop further water damage from occurring.
Was Your Home Damaged in a Flood? Don’t Let the Mold Damage Get Worse.
Flood damage on its own is tricky enough to deal with, let alone when you add mold growth to the equation. That’s why you need a professional to treat mold damage at the source.
At PNW Restoration, we are familiar with all sorts of mold species and we know how to treat them. Call us today at 971-247-3470 to schedule an appointment, or email us at contactus@pnwrestorationservices.com to get started.
