Water damage inside your home can be devastating. Not only must you deal with the removal of damaged materials, but you must also work quickly to prevent mold from growing on water-damaged surfaces within your living space.
Exposure to certain kinds of mold can cause serious health issues. It's important that you invest in professional water damage restoration as soon as water damage is identified to minimize mold growth in your home.
Learn more about some of the factors that can affect mold growth so that you will be prepared to stick to a tight timeline throughout the restoration process.
1. Light
The amount of light available to mold spores can be a determining factor when it comes to the rate of growth after water damage occurs.
Most mold varieties thrive in damp, dark places. This means that the darker the area where water has damaged your home, the faster mold spores will colonize.
You can slow the growth rate of mold by bringing in artificial light sources to illuminate dark areas that have sustained water damage. By slowing the mold growth with light, you make it easier for professionals to complete the restoration process after water damage ravages your home.
2. Surface Material
The types of materials affected by water damage in your home can play a part in the growth rate of mold. Different types of surface materials will interact with mold spores in unique ways.
Some materials are more conducive to mold growth, so spores will colonize quickly when these materials are affected by water damage. Mold growth tends to happen quickly on porous materials like wood or drywall.
Nonporous materials, like glass or metal, will not exhibit signs of mold growth as quickly as their porous counterparts.
3. Airflow
The airflow within a space can be a factor in determining how quickly mold will start to grow after water has damaged your home.
When there isn't much air moving through a space, mold spores can easily settle onto the surfaces in your home. Increasing the airflow with industrial fans can not only prevent the settling of mold spores, but it can also help to dry out water-damaged areas much quicker.
Place fans in any area where water damage has occurred as soon as possible to curb mold growth while waiting for professionals to complete the restoration process.
Understanding the factors that contribute to mold growth will help you protect your home while working with water damage restoration experts. For more information on water damage restoration, contact a company near you.
Share31 January 2023
My entire life, I had always been terrified of tornadoes. While my husband would sometimes go outside and look at the strange hue of the sky, I'd find myself and my daughter huddled in the downstairs basement with our dog. Fortunately, my husband had enough sense to come downstairs with us during the tornado that took most of our house. My family almost lost everything. This was more than just a home. We had built it ourselves and poured our hearts and souls into it. I was determined to have our home restored to an exact replica of the original that we lost. I learned everything I could about damage contractors while trying to restore my home and I've developed a love for this topic that has inspired me to maintain a blog about it.
