Flooded Carpet? Don’t Let It Remain Wet for Long

You probably know that excess moisture can damage a carpet, but do you know what type of damage it does? When carpeting is left wet, it can lead to a condition called "carpet delamination," which means the carpet’s secondary backing has separated from its primary backing. Once a wall-to-wall carpet has been delaminated, you get a wrinkled carpet that can no longer be re-stretched and will have to be replaced soon.

Black Mold, Your Home, and You

A water-damaged home might have more problems than wet upholstery or woodwork. Indeed, black mold infestations are among the most dangerous after-effects of water damage, so after you’re done drying your carpet and throwing away other wet stuff, you should check out for these signs of mold:

Identifying Water Damage by Level of Turbidity

Since your home consists of a network of pipes and fixtures concealed within your walls and floor, it’s very likely that water can suddenly come leaking in if something goes wrong. The result can be devastating. Before looking for the source of leak, it helps to know first how to identify the type of water damage you are up against.

Meet the Molds: Cladosporium

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate there are more than 300,000 species of fungi in existence, including household molds. While there's neither the time nor need to list and describe them all, some species are more commonly found invading homes. At the very least, knowing about these common molds is worth your time.

Effective Ways to Deal with Water Damage

Floods and leaks may be hard to avoid but the water damage these leave can surely be minimized. While certain damage will be beyond repair, there are many things inside your home that can still be saved. For instance, a soaked drywall may not end up warping and splitting if you dry it up right away. Here are some simple tips on how you can effectively deal with water damage:

If you live in a flood-prone area, chances are you’ve experienced at least one minor flood before and have seen how it affected your home. Learn from it and make sure to make a preemptive response scheme that can help protect your property from severe water damage. Coat your furniture and walls properly and prepare an elevated space where you can transfer some of your belongings before floodwater starts rushing in.

After the flood, dry everything under the sun as quickly as possible to prevent mold buildup. Scrub the floor with water and soap to remove all pollutants that might trigger the growth of harmful organisms. For excessive water damage, professional water damage restoration services can help speed up cleaning and repair.

For water damage caused by other sources, such as leak and splashes, you have to act quickly to stop the outflow. However, don’t rush to repair the damage as you might break other surfaces or materials. Instead, call a professional to assess and mitigate the damage and perform the necessary restoration.

Facts about the Dangers of Mold

Of all the things that could endanger your home and health, mold should be one of your top concerns. It doesn’t affect you overnight, nor does it quickly engulf your home; instead, it takes its time growing in the corners of your basement or attic crawlspace. Molds will slowly eat their way through your wood structures, unless you get mold remediation services to root them out.

Here are some important facts about mold:

• Mold can develop either indoors or outdoors, particularly where there is a lot of moisture and an absence of proper lighting.
• A good red flag to check for mold at home is when someone in your household suddenly gets an onset of allergic reactions from a seemingly unknown source.
• Some of the more severe reactions to this substance include fever, difficulty breathing, or even serious lung infection.
• Certain brands of paint can sometimes serve as mold inhibitors.
• Insulating your home is one of the most efficient means of ridding it of potential growth areas.
• Aside from health concerns, this organism can also destroy building materials like hardwood.

If you feel like you might have mold growing in your home, be sure to call professionals to do mold inspection and remediation for you. Find them and get rid of them before the molds can do serious damage to both your home and your health.