How Water Removal and Dryout Help Prevent Mold Growth

When water damage happens, the key to a successful restoration of your home is to remove all standing water – fast! This way, your home can dry up as soon as possible.

By removing moisture in all the affected areas of your home after a flood or water damage, you minimize the risk of mildew and mold growth. Otherwise, you may be facing a mold problem within a few days.

When your home has been flooded, the best thing to do to avoid mold growth is to hire a professional. Here are some of the reasons:

•   Mold Prevention – Mold will grow after only a day or so. Thus, it is crucial to act fast after a flood. Get out of your home and go back inside only when it’s safe to do so.

You can help water damage professionals by taking things that were not flooded out of your house. This will protect your dry things while your house is undergoing clean-up.

•   Removing Flood Water – Remove as much flood water as you can using mops and buckets. Remove all the mud, dirt, and debris inside your home as well. If you have pumping equipment, use it. If you can’t do it on your own, just wait for the water removal pros to arrive.

•   Drying Up Your Home Following a Flood – After a flood, the sooner you can dry your home, the better. This will help prevent or minimize mold growth. Use fans, dehumidifiers, or heaters to help speed up the drying process. But, you need to make sure that it’s safe to use these devices first. You can also open the windows for ventilation if the outside air isn’t humid.

•   Removing Flooded Carpets – If your carpets got wet, you should get rid of them right away. A carpet’s back padding will not dry out easily, especially if it’s been saturated. It will only smell bad and encourage mold growth.

•   Removing Flooded Drywalls – If your rooms are flooded, mold can grow on the walls or in the wall cavities. In this case, you will need to cut away the lower part of the drywall no less than 12” above the part that got wet.

If you notice mold growing on other drywalls, you also need to get rid of the affected portions. It is very difficult to get rid of mold from porous materials such as drywalls. Dispose of the moldy or wet drywall right away.

•   Removing Other Flooded Materials – You should get rid of other flooded porous building materials like wall panelling. It is often alright to keep wood materials. Just make sure there is no mold growth and they are dried out. You should also get rid of all insulation that got wet. Like carpet backing, it takes a long time to dry.

Final Word

By allowing a professional to help in your water removal and dry out needs after a flood, you can be sure that your home will not only be safe to move back into after the job. There will also be no more traces of mold growth that can pose health hazards to you and your family.

Common Causes of Water Damage in a Home

A lot of people think that water damage restoration services are not necessary – until they come face to face with a serious problem! These include water slowly creeping into your home and water surging from a busted pipe. Often, people only call a water damage restoration service provider when any of these things happen. By then, damage may already be significant.

Following are some of the more common causes of mold and water damage:

• Flat Roof – A flat roof is only as good as a sloped roof – until problems start to show. To function well, a flat roof must have a bit of a gradient. Despite their name, flat roofs aren’t supposed to be flat at all. In theory, a flat roof must have a slight convex to allow water to flow off into the gutters.

But, the slight slope can often be undermined by different factors. It can also deteriorate, and can turn into a concave-shaped or completely flat roof. Build-up of branches, leaves, and debris may put pressure on the roof’s weakest point, and cause a slight inward collapse. Water will then pool on the roof and not run off.

The cold weather can create “ice dams.” A normal water puddle on your flat roof would often run off. But, when the puddle’s edges freeze because of the cold weather, it will trap the water.

• Gutters – A malfunctioning gutter system can also cause significant water damage. A gutter’s job is to direct water away from the roof, and the building. But, the gutter cannot perform its job well when there are branches, leaves, and other debris clogging it.

When this happens, water will flow over the edge of the gutter. It will run down the building’s side. You can tell if this is happening by checking your wall paint. If there are dirty water marks on the wall, then it may be a sign of a clogged gutter.

If there are cracks or holes in the gutter, water will also leak down the sides of the building even when there is no heavy rainfall. More serious water damage problems can happen if you don’t address the issue right away. For one, it may lead to mold infestation.

• Leaking Pipes – A leaking pipe can cause a major water damage without you knowing it. Water can slowly leak under the floor boards or in a loft. The dripping may only be very subtle, and will be almost unnoticeable. But, the constant dampness can lead to black mold and more serious water damage.

Different factors can cause leaking pipes. If your water has the wrong acidity level, it won’t allow film to form inside your copper pipes. They will dissolve easily. Cold temperatures can also cause problems of freezing over. Not turning off your tap or valve properly may also cause corrosion to set in.

These are only a few common causes of water damage in your home. Brownish or yellowish water from your taps, or low water pressure are some possible indications of leaks. To be sure, have a professional check your home.

7 Tips for Restoring an Old House

Home renovations are almost always stressful affairs. But, things tend to get even more complicated (and expensive) when you’re working on restoring an older home.

Don’t let the inevitable stress and expenses deter you from taking on this project, though!

Keep reading for seven great tips that will help you save money and time while restoring an old house.

1. Have the Home Inspected

Before you start making any changes, have an inspector come in and check your home out.

Some aspects of the home that an inspector will look at include:

Mechanical systems (electricity, heating, plumbing, etc.)

Structural support (whether or not a wall is load bearing, how you can work around it)

Potential issues with the roof

Water damage and mold growth in the basement

It might seem like an inconvenience to have your home inspected. But, remember that it’s easier to take care of issues with your wiring or plumbing early on, rather than waiting until you’ve started (or even finished) your renovations.

2. Prioritize Your Renovations

When you first get started restoring an old house, it’s tempting to focus on the fun stuff — your new kitchen cabinets, paint colors, etc.

In reality, though, those items should come secondary to less-fun tasks like repairing the roof and windows.

The first thing you should focus on during your restoration is taking care of anything that could cause future damage. Remember, a leaky roof is going to have many more consequences than a scratched wood floor.

There are benefits that come with prioritizing your repairs in this way. For example, you won’t blow your budget on things that don’t really matter.

Companies like Walsh Window sometimes upgrade your purchase and throw in extra perks, too, when you order materials through them. Who doesn’t want free supplies when they’re in the middle of a big renovation?

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