How Do You Prevent Mold from Water Damage?

How Long Does it Take Mold to Grow?

Mold can grow within 24 to 48 hours after water damage. But it depends on the conditions inside your home. Certain surfaces and materials are more hospitable to mold than others.

What Does Mold Need to Survive?

Mold needs moisture, warm temperatures, oxygen, and food to survive. Mold especially thrives in temperatures between 41 and 104 degrees Fahrenheit. While mold spores are harmless in small amounts, they can grow in damp, humid areas in your home.

Mold eats the sugar and starch from cellulose. If mold doesn’t get its food from the moisture it came with, it can eat the paper backing of your drywall.

Mold can also grow on materials that wouldn’t otherwise be food sources, such as concrete. The only catch is that mold needs organic soil to grow on non-cellulose materials.

Organic soil contains decomposed plant matter, microorganisms, and other things mold loves. This layer of organic soil is sometimes called “biofilm.”

How to Prevent Mold From Growing

Mold needs moisture, warm temperatures, oxygen, and food. While you can’t turn off your heat in winter (your pipes will freeze), you can take away sources of moisture and food.

Increase Air Circulation

Rent or buy high-powered fans to circulate air through your home. Air circulation is of utmost importance.

If it’s not too humid, open all your windows and exterior doors. You’ll also want to open cabinet doors, closet doors, and drawers.

Remove Moisture From the Air

Is it humid outside? If so, you’ll want to close all your windows and exterior doors to keep out as much moisture as possible. A large, portable dehumidifier will help remove moisture from the air. The larger the dehumidifier, the less often you’ll have to empty the water drawer.

Pump Out Water

The fastest way to pump out water is to call the Camelot Service Company. Our IICRC-certified technicians are on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We can also be on-site within 60 minutes of receiving your call.

We use the latest technology in moisture detection and metering. After extracting standing water, we’ll establish a drying system for your specific situation. We’ll then monitor the affected area until your home reaches a normal moisture content. We can even let you use the meters yourself!

Remove Water-Damaged Materials

You can’t salvage everything after a flood. If you can’t completely clean and dry something, remove it from your home. Otherwise, mold spores could land on that material and start to grow.

Call us if you need to remove a lot of water-damaged materials. Time is of the essence when you’re trying to prevent mold.