When Your Water Damage is Gone, Your Mold Problem May Start

12/18/2019 (Permalink)

Fixing your water leak won't resolve a possible mold problem in your home.

This is a typical scenario for many Phoenix homeowners who rent their properties out or are absent from their home for an extended period of time:  a water pipe breaks, and water sits for a long time before the water issue is resolved. When the problem is finally discovered, the water damage is fixed, and all is better again, right?  Not so fast! Even when your water damage is gone, your mold problem may start. Find out what you need to do to address a potential mold issue by working with SERVPRO of Phoenix.

How likely is it that mold will form after water damage happens?

Phoenix homeowners assume our dry climate discourages mold, but that’s actually a fallacy. As a matter of fact, mold spores exist in almost every environment, including Arizona, and it only takes the right moisture conditions like a water leak for these spores to seep into materials and colonize. That means a mold problem for your home. Mold exists everywhere, indoors and outdoors, but a damp situation like a water leak can accelerate that growth into a mold issue for your home. When that happens, you’ll need mold remediation.

Even if you can’t see it, mold may be present in your home after water damage

Perhaps you were fortunate enough to catch your water issue early, and therefore water didn’t sit for too long. Does that mean mold isn’t an issue?  Possibly, but possibly not. Keeping in mind mold spores are everywhere, it doesn’t take much excessive moisture to become a problem, and often a mold problem is not visible. It could be behind plumbing walls, in carpet padding, or other hidden places. If you smell a musty odor, the chances are that you have a mold problem, but in many cases, mold is growing before you smell anything.

What steps should be taken to address a possible mold issue?

First, the source of the water damage needs to be addressed. If it’s not resolved, there’s a good chance that even if mold is present and is dealt with, it could come back again, which is why mold remediation should be left to professionals such as SERVPRO of Phoenix. They are certified to understand how to assess a situation and if a mold problem is found, address it so that the issue is resolved. Specifically, our mold remediation specialists will:

• Inspect and assess mold damage
• Contain the mold
• Use air filtration for airborne mold spores
• Remove any materials containing mold, including drywall, carpet, etc.
• Clean any salvageable items with mold damage such as draperies, books, etc.
• Restore the premised to pre-mold problem conditions

So SERVPRO can get rid of mold in my house?

Again, mold is everywhere, inside your home and outside your home, so mold cannot be “removed” completely. What it can be is contained or remediated to keep it under control. We understand mold and mold growth. SERVPRO of Phoenix has the training and expertise to remediate the mold in your home.

Work with one company to handle all your damage needs

As you can see, water damage actually requires multiple areas of expertise: fix the cause of the water damage, repair water damaged items, dry out the area, and deal with any mold remediation necessary. Why call multiple companies when you can rely on the experts at SERVPRO?  If your Phoenix home suffers from water damage, contact us 24/7 at (480) 503-2090 to address all issues that you may experience.