Is Mold Removal Necessary Following Storm Damage?
Storm damage can often be upsetting enough on its own. Severe storms can destroy windows, ruin roofing, and leave your siding looking like it just wandered through a war zone. When storm damage is severe enough, you'll often need to leave your home for temporary accommodations while contractors conduct repairs.
Unfortunately, the immediate damage from a storm may not be your only concern. Even if your home avoided flooding, mold removal and remediation are often necessary to step during any major storm damage restoration project.
How Does Storm Damage Lead to Mold?
Mold will form on organic materials in a home once there's sufficient moisture in the air or on the surface. Flooding typically results in severe mold growth due to water in the home and the increased interior humidity during the clean-up process. However, storm damage can often create additional hazards that lead to mold growth without standing water.
Damaged windows or roofing allow exterior humidity to enter your home. While tarps and boards can help prevent animals and rain from entering your home, the increased humidity levels are often enough to promote mold growth. These openings also provide an opportunity for additional mold spores to enter your home, further increasing the chances of mold growth.
Simply leaving your home unoccupied and potentially unpowered for days or weeks during repairs can be problematic in humid environments. If you live in a humid area, the combination of damaged windows and a lack of running air conditioning can create the perfect environment for mold. Even if water never enters your home, you may return to find mold growing on numerous surfaces.
What Should You Do to Minimize the Risk of Mold?
If you're dealing with substantial storm damage to your home, you should always work with a mold remediation and removal company as part of your repair plan. Mold experts can enter your home and help dry any wet surfaces while also looking for areas where mold may already be growing. Even a single broken window can allow a significant amount of moisture into your home.
In addition to working with a mold removal company following the initial storm damage, you should follow up as your repair progresses, especially if any part of your home remains open to the environment. Locating and removing mold before you move back into your home can help you avoid potential health problems and minimize the likelihood of further mold growth.
While not every storm will lead to mold damage, adding mold remediation professionals to your storm damage repair team will help ensure you don't discover unwelcome surprises weeks or months after moving back into your home.
Contact a local mold removal service to learn more.