10/08/2024
Things to remember after water or flood damage to your home
By: NuTech Mold and Water Services LLC
If you are dealing with some flooding issues to your home from the recent storms there are few things to keep in mind. Many times, the most harmful damage occurs after the rains have stopped. Although water can cause major damage, some of the most costly and harmful damages remain hidden from view. Often this type of damage will not manifest itself until days or weeks after the water has been removed. This damage is from mold and harmful bacteria.; it is stealthy and often remains hidden from view.
Although homeowners may remove excess water from areas and think the areas are dry enough, moisture remains and harbors the growth of mold. It only takes a minor amount of moisture to start microbial growth. If carpet was saturated, a shop vacuum will not remove enough of the excess moisture. A professional extraction is required to pull as much water as possible from the carpet and pad. If the carpet is on a concrete slab, it become very difficult to remove the moisture from the concrete. Most times it would include removing the carpet pad. Then professional dehumidifiers and air movers should run for multiple days and the drying progress should be monitored with moisture meters. Moisture will percolate up through a concrete slab for days after being wet. If you did not have a professional mitigation company dry your home, you need to be alert for lingering issues.
The first sign would be a sour or musty odor. This will be the earliest sign of possible microbial growth. It is very common for this to occur a week to 10 days after the area was thought to be dry. There can be mold growing on the wooden tack strips, under the carpet pad, behind the base molding, and/or the drywall.
We have attached a link for an article “10 Tips to Avoid Structural Mold From Flooding”. https://global.healthyindoors.com/c/word-on-the-street/10-tips-to-avoid-structural-mold-from-flooding If perhaps some of these steps were not followed completely, be more on guard looking for signs of mold growth. We at NuTech Mold & Water offer testing and inspections for possible mold infestation. Contact our office to schedule an appointment and we will be glad to review your individual situation.
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