If you own a house, you need to be prepared for anything. A disaster can happen when you least expect it, and you need to know what to do. For example, you might experience a flood. Some of the most common causes of floods in your home include:
- There might be a leak in your roof that goes through the wall and floods your floors.
- There might be a pipe that bursts in your home.
- One of your appliances, such as your refrigerator or washing machine, could start to leak.
If you have water damage in your home, one of your biggest concerns might be mold growth. Take a look at a few of the most important steps you should follow to prevent the growth of mold, and do not hesitate to reach out to a professional team that can help you with water damage restoration and mold remediation services in the Daytona area.
1. Turn Off the Water
If you notice that there is a flood in your home, your mind is probably going to be in a frenzy. Therefore, it is easy to forget the most important first step. You need to turn off the water.
You need to know where the water main is in your house. If you do not know where it is located, take a few minutes to identify it right now. If you want to prevent mold from growing, you need to stop the water from building up. The only way you can do this is if you turn off the water main. Make sure you shut off the water as quickly as possible.
2. Turn On the Fans
You need to turn on all of the fans in your house. Warmth and humidity are ripe conditions for mold to grow, so you need to get rid of the water as quickly as possible. If you have ceiling fans in your house, make sure you turn all of them on. If you have vents located in your kitchen and bathrooms, make sure you turn them on as well. You may also want to jack up the fans on the HVAC unit to get the air circulating. That way, you can dry out the house as quickly as possible.
You will probably have a lot on your mind, but if you have time to do so, you may want to visit the local hardware store to see if you can purchase some industrial fans. These are fans that sit on your floor, and they might look like snail shells. Try to get a few of these, plug them in, and get them going.
3. Turn On the Dehumidifiers
You also need to strip the moisture from the atmosphere. There is probably a lot of water in the air in your house already, and you need to get rid of it as quickly as possible. If you have dehumidifiers in your house, you need to turn them on. You should also check your HVAC unit to see if there is an extra dehumidifier attached to it. If there is, make sure you get it going. If you can remove some of the moisture from the atmosphere, you can slow the growth of mold.
4. Break Out the Towels
Now that the appliances are going, it is time for you to start drying out the house. If you have towels in your house, try to pull them out as quickly as possible. Then, get to work nothing up as much water as you can. Even though it might be slow going, every little bit helps.
5. Remove Any Damp Items
You should also try to remove any damp items in your house. The water may have ruined some papers, some clothes on the floor, and some furniture cushions. If that is the case, remove them from the house and put them outside. They will also be releasing extra moisture into the atmosphere, and you need to remove these items if you want to slow the growth of mold following a flood.
6. Open All the Windows and Doors
All the moisture in the air has to go somewhere. It will be circulating throughout your house thanks to all the fans that have been turned on. You want the moisture to leave your house, so try to open all of the windows and doors. Even though you should check the weather and make sure a severe storm is not coming, you need to open all of your windows and doors if you want to give your house a chance to dry out. If you have a garage attached to your home, you should try to open the garage door as well.
7. Watch For the Warning Signs
Finally, you need to watch and wait. You need to keep your eyes open for the warning signs of mold. If you see fuzzy things growing in your home, this is a sign that mold is growing. If you start to smell a musty odor, this could also be a sign that mold is growing. If you notice that mold is growing, you need to reach out to a professional as quickly as possible to mitigate the damage and get rid of it.
What If You Can’t Prevent Mold and Water Damage?
Ultimately, if you have a flood in your house, you are probably going to get mold somewhere. It is nearly impossible to prevent everything, but this is not something you need to go through on your own.
The instant you suspect mold growth, you need to reach out to a professional company that can help you stop mold from growing, dry out your house, and reverse the damage. The sooner you reach out to a professional, the less damage you will have to worry about. Even though you might have home insurance that will help cover some of the costs of the damage, you can minimize the threat to your home if you trust a professional to help you. That is where we can help you.
Contact Wagner Restoration for Help With Water Damage Restoration in Daytona
At Wagner Restoration, we are proud to be one of the most trusted water damage restoration companies in the local area. We know that living in Florida comes with its risks, and we have an unparalleled level of experience dealing with all kinds of water damage, including mold. It would be our pleasure to help you as well. Give us a call today to learn more about how you can prevent mold and how we can help you reverse water damage.