Water damage from flood, leaks, or high humidity can’t only undermine the integrity of your house and its contents but also result in mold growth. Mold can grow rapidly after water damage, making the restoration process harder. A small amount of moisture, if not handled quickly and properly, can turn into a large mold infestation.
Mold spores — miniature airborne particles which are not observable to the naked eye exist anywhere in nature, and they are able to grow into the visible mold after a water damage episode. When it starts invading your house, mold can threaten the health of its occupants. Mold exposure is especially harmful to people with breathing problems caused by allergies or asthma.
However, you can avoid mold growth inside your house when you act fast. All it takes is eliminating the moisture before mold has had the opportunity to start growing. But how fast does mold grow following a flooding or moisture problem?
How long after flooding does mold grow?
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), mold normally takes 24 to 48 hours to grow following a flood if the ideal conditions are met. But, it is based on the type of surfaces and materials, the quantity of moisture, and temperature. Inside, mold normally grows faster on softer surfaces in darker, warmer (70 degrees or more), and also more humid environments.
The chance for mold spores to spread from 1 area to another also increases with time. These germs can easily fill the atmosphere and disperse through your home, impacting more and more regions and endangering your health with every passing hour.
Mold spores that begin to purge on surfaces within 24 hours become observable in roughly 18 to 21 days of this flooding. But that occurs if nothing has been done to dry the water and then restore the affected surfaces.
For all these reasons, it’s vital to manage water and moisture issues as soon as you’ve got a flooding incident. The faster the cleanup and drying take place, the smaller the chances of big mold growth.
DIY or call a professional?
In case you have a lot of water at the home, hiring a property damage restoration company may be your very best bet to get your home back in order as fast and as cost-efficiently as possible. Restoration businesses have the right equipment that’s needed to dry out your location quickly.
A restoration professional is much more crucial for saving your home if it had been flooded with more contaminated water like sewage. This type of water is very hazardous and best managed by trained and certified water damage cleanup professionals.
Furthermore, if mold has started growing on your home following a flood, it’s likely that there’s more mold hiding in hidden areas, such as walls. Mold removal specialists have the required tools to discover hidden mold in areas where the eyes can’t see.
For professional mold removal services and water damage restoration, contact your regional PuroClean office or visit this website to learn more.