One of the hardest things about owning property is knowing how to handle an emergency. People tend to think that it’s all a matter of insurance. However, there’s far more to taking care of property than the base financial aspects. There’s also the issue of damage prevention and mitigation. Consider how water and flooding damage can impact a home. People usually just think about it as a one time event.
In reality, water damage is an ongoing process. News reports will usually report a set end time for floods. But reports of a flood ending and the duration of flooding or water damage are quite different things. One should take a moment to really consider how an inch or two of water would impact their home.
One should begin by thinking of carpets as something closer to a sponge. Walls should be considered by their base material. Wood isn’t as prone to soaking up water as carpets are. Still, wooden walls will pick up a significant amount of water over time. Worse, areas where the floor, ceiling and wall meet up are especially prone to soaking up water. And of course there’s the impact on electrical systems.
This isn’t where the worst of the worst damage happens though. And this leads into why it’s so important to look for professional help with water damage restoration. The factors already discussed are a major concern. But there’s still more to come, and the average homeowner isn’t equipped to handle it on their own. Because one of the biggest dangers one needs to consider isn’t primarily from the water. Instead, it’s what happens in areas where water has soaked into various places in a building.
All the areas in a building with significant water damage are prone to the biggest danger from flooding. Moist areas are the perfect habitat for mold. And mold combines a few traits which make it especially problematic. The first point is that it’s difficult for laypeople to detect. There are some methods for detecting mold after it’s become visible on a surface. For example, bleach will discolor mold. One first needs to find mold growing though. And mold can prove extremely difficult to track down.
This can be further seen by another method of testing for mold. If one sees an area on walls which have hints of possible mold infection than the homeowner would press against it with a screwdriver. Mold works so fast on a surface that the wall might actually depress under slight pressure from a screwdriver. This shows one of the biggest issues with mold. It grows rapidly and often rots out the substrate it’s colonized.
Another factor which makes it difficult to find and treat mold is how it gets between or under surfaces. Insulation in walls can prove the perfect cover for mold to grow. Likewise, during flooding damage it can often soak up water to make the process even more worrisome. And some types of mold, such as black mold, can pose significant health hazards for humans. Thankfully professional water damage restoration will take care of all of these issues.
Everything discussed so far is difficult for people to handle on their own. Which is why it’s best to avoid trying to do so. Using experts means that the job will be done quickly, efficiently and correctly. However, it also brings one advantage that often proves all the difference. Mitigation and restoration experts are able to stop a lot of damage before it escalates into something severe. This means that it’s often a good idea to look up contact information for local experts before the worst case scenarios occur. By doing so one will be prepared in advance for any emergency.
