Removing Mold After a Flood

By Hedrick Lepsch

When living in Denver, it is important that home owners understand how they are going to minimize the water damage that may occur in their home.

There are many different ways that water damage can occur and it is important to understand how to minimize the water damage.

First, when there is standing water in a home owner's home he or she should know how to react. Knowing how to react will ensure that the water does not sit in the home for an extended amount of time and cause damage that is irreversible and often extremely problematic.

However, when they find themselves in the right environment, the spores will germinate and spread. In general, humidity must reach a point above 70 percent in order for this to occur.

Identifying the source of the water will ensure that the water is able to be stopped and the home owner can then start effectively getting water out of the home.

Armed with such information, people should be able to prepare ahead of time for the possibility of snow damage. As stated, such damages have the potential to occur in several different ways.

First of all, the snowfall itself is frozen water. When the frozen water stacks on a surface, such as on a home, it may melt and cause water issues.

In the beginning, this fungus can look like a thin web, but it will become puffy and bushy as it fills out and grows. The spores can spread through a variety of different ways, including through the air, on people, and on pets.

The next issue that could possibly arise comes from the physical weight of the snowpack when it stacks up. This fall has the potential to rapidly stack weight onto itself.

If too big of an accumulation develops, then it may be able to overcome the structural support of a roof or wall and cave it in a bit. Such occurrences do happen, and have the potential to be expensive and messy to fix.

Another possible issue that might come about is when snowfall decides to pick up momentum and move. When such an event is triggered, it has the potential to do a lot of harm, due to the downward force being put forward.

When the standing water is out of the home, the home will need to be dried out thoroughly. Although the standing water is out, there will be areas of the home that are still damp from coming in contact with the water and sitting in the water as it was being removed.

Put these things in trash bags, seal them up and put them outside as soon as possible so that the spores will not spread any further. Items that you want to save need to be dried out quickly or put in the freezer. The fungus also cannot grow in cold temperatures, such as in the freezer. You will have to clean off these items as best you can later. The next thing you will want to do is keep the affect areas as clean as possible. Mold may be have invaded your walls, shelves, cupboards and other areas.

Make sure you clean off the infection with a disinfectant and then open it up as much as possible. You will want to encourage air circulation as much as possible. Items that are moldy that you want to save, such as old dolls, need to be air dried away from other objects. Make sure that you spread out papers or open books that were affected so they can dry faster.

It can also help to blot the excess water off with a clean towel. These objects should be placed in an area where air circulation is quite good. Again, these objects can be frozen if you cannot dry them right away or if you have to spend your time taking care of other parts of your home. The one type of object that you should avoid freezing are photographs as these can be damaged.

what they should do in case of a flood or unwanted water, to ensure that the water damage in their home is not extensive.

About the Author:

BELFOR is a ringleader in disaster restoration and property restoration and repair. We can help with fire, storm, water or even mold damage, as well as proffering services such as duct cleaning, emergency power, etc.