Water Damage And Mold Growth

When cleaning up after water damage, speed really is key. The longer water and moisture sit in your home, the worse the damage will be. Upon finding water damage, you need to respond quickly and call a restoration team to respond ASAP. The major risks from water damage are structural damage to your home, and severe health reactions or illness to mold. In order to prevent mold and bacterial problems from developing after water damage has occurred, time is of the essence.

In as little as 24 hours after water damage, mold can begin growing. Mold needs three things in order to grow; a food source, moisture, and time. Our homes are full of food sources for mold. Porous materials like wood, drywall, and even dust are all great sources of food for mold. When water damage occurs in our homes, all of these potential sources become wet, and moisture becomes present. Since these two things cannot be avoided once water damage has occurred, the one thing you can remove from mold growth is time. This is why timing is so critical in water damage cleanup. With prompt action following water damage, the growth of dangerous molds is significantly decreased.

Mold growth found in homes can be very dangerous to your health. Mold reproduces and grows through spores. Mold spores are basically like little microscopic seeds that cannot be seen by the naked eye. If mold spores are ingested or inhaled, they can cause a lot of respiratory problems. Coughing, sneezing, headaches, rashes, irritation to the eyes, irritation to the nose and throat, and fatigue are all common symptoms of mold exposure. Since mold spores travel through the air, they can affect the air quality throughout the entire home, not just in the area that sustained water damage. When mold has been present for a while, it can pose more serious health threats such as allergic reactions, shortness of breath, and sinus infections. Because mold can pose such serious health threats, the best way to prevent mold growth is to begin the cleanup process as quickly as possible following any type of water damage.

Aside from mold growth, lingering water will also lead to increased damage to the items that are wet.  Floors, walls, sheetrock, and insulation are all made up of porous materials. When these materials are introduced to water, they begin to absorb the moisture. This moisture can cause swelling, deterioration, break down, and loss of integrity in the structural components of your home. Items such as furniture, carpets, and bedding will deteriorate more quickly the longer they are exposed to water. Your water damage problems will most likely compound, and repair expenses will increase exponentially by failing to act quickly when water damage affects your home.

All it takes is one phone call to Challis Restoration Services to start your water damage cleanup as quickly as possible. We are available 24/7 with experienced teams standing by for your call. We have hundreds of water damage cleanup projects under our belt and have the experience to get you clean up and dried out fast. Serving Cedar Rapids and surrounding areas, we will be there to respond quickly when water damage strikes.