How to Detect & Prevent Mold Growth After Water Damage
If you’ve recently experienced a basement flood or a broken pipe, you know what it’s like to deal with water damage. If that isn’t enough of a headache, you also have to deal with mold growth making its way into your home. It’s easy to spot water that puddles out in the open, but do you know how to detect mold growth over time? Learn more about what causes mold, where it most often grows after water damage and how to prevent it below.
What is mold?
A part of nature, mold breaks down dead organic matter to keep the ecosystem up and running. It reproduces through tiny spores, and travels through both indoor and outdoor air. And the one major thing it needs to grow? Moisture. Mold can also be an allergy irritant, and cause other breathing and respiratory problems.
Signs of Mold
- Peeling paint or wallpaper
- Stains on ceilings, floors, and walls
- Musty smell
- Compromised or warped wood panels
- Decomposition on plumbing valves and fittings
How to prevent mold growth
Cover the Floor of Your Crawl Space
Leaving this area exposed can cause groundwater to seep into the wood foundation of your home and start the population of mold. Crawl spaces are one of the most vulnerable spots to hold mold because of it’s position. Located on the bottom, nearest to moist earth, this is the spot in your home with the highest level of humidity. Cover the space with a water-resistant barrier, like polyethylene plastic.
Leave the Bathroom Fan On
Controlling the amount of moisture in your home is key to preventing the growth of mold. One way to do this is to leave the fan running in the bathroom for 10 – 15 minutes after you take a hot shower. Circulating the humid air out gets rid of lingering moisture.
Close Windows and Doors When Using AC
Keeping your living space cool in the summer means cranking up the AC. Although this is a way to stay comfortable, you have to make sure openings to the outdoors are shut so that condensation doesn’t build up around the windows. With condensation comes water, and with water comes mold build-up.
When to Call A Professional
If you suspect there’s mold growth happening in your home, call a local plumber. They know exactly what to look for and can give you the best advice on how to keep your house moisture-free.
Contact the Plumbing Experts
As always, you can count on Progressive to respond to your home emergency no matter the time of day or night. We’re available 24/7/365 to make sure your home is safe and protected from any kind of damage from the elements.
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