To Help Prevent Mold Growth, Some Things to Remember When Your House Suffers From A Water Intrusion During A Hurricane

The 2020 hurricane season is here, and we hope none will ever make landfall in any of the countries including the United States. But when one does make landfall in the United States, it is inevitable that homes will suffer from water damage due to the hurricane.

There are many ways water can enter your home during a hurricane. Some of the ways include wind driven rain through cracks or gaps, water seepage from flooding, water through damaged roofs, and water through improperly installed or defective construction of windows.

Depending on the amount of water that enters your home, you will most likely see evidence of the damage, such as actual water dripping from the ceiling or walls, or presence of water on the floors.  When building materials inside your home get wet, mold will start to form on these materials when they are not effectively dried. Ideally, when your home suffers from a significant amount of water damage, such as during a hurricane, you would want the help of a reputable water damage restoration contractor to dry out wet building materials in a timely manner. However, during a hurricane, these companies may be stretched as they will be responding to so many damaged homes. So, here are some things to remember when you notice water intrusion inside your home until you get some help from a professional drying company

• Generally, the first thing to do when your home suffers from water intrusion is to stop the source of the moisture before you begin the drying process, but during a hurricane, this may not be an option
• Immediately after the hurricane has passed and it is safe to do so, it is important to assess your home for any water damaged affected areas
• Wet items that cannot be salvaged, such as paper products with no sentimental value, should be discarded immediately
• Dry any water on the concrete or tile floor
• If carpet floor covering is saturated, it should be removed and discarded including the padding
• Carefully remove the baseboards to avoid damaging the wall paint on wet walls or where water had seeped through from the outside.  Removing the baseboards will help prevent trapped moisture between drywall and baseboards
• Significant water seepage into hardwood floor covering may be impossible to effectively remove or dry
• Use fans to dry wet walls. Care should be taken when doing this if you or others in the house have allergies or asthma.  Fans will stir up dust and debris and other allergens that could potentially trigger these conditions

Typically, mold will start to grow on suitable materials or substrates within 24-48 hours of being wet.  So, doing what you can to dry any affected building materials within this time frame will help minimize mold-related damage. It is important to remember though that some wet building materials can only be dried effectively with the help of a professional restoration company.  So, the sooner you can get a company to help you with your water intrusion, the better it is in helping to prevent mold growth inside your home as a result of water intrusion during a hurricane.