Tips for cleaning up water damage and mold

Water damage from a flooded foundation often results in mold if it is not cleaned and dried immediately and properly. Water damage and mold are two very common problems that most homeowners will face in their lifetime. Although neither can be prevented 100 percent of the time, there are some helpful tips that can minimize the risk. Why can’t water damage or mold damage be completely prevented? Simple. You can’t control Mother Nature.

We all know that everything around us ages and begins to decay. That is the process of life that everything has to go through. Trees grow, eventually fall over and begin to decay. Streams cut through the land and eventually a Grand Canyon is formed. Temperature changes cause the ground to expand and contract, and rain causes the ground to swell.

With all these things going on around us, you need to be aware of the changes taking place and take appropriate action. First, let’s focus on base flooding and water damage. We know that when water enters your home, it must be cleaned up immediately or damage can occur. Your finished basement walls will soak up water like a sponge and cause the drywall to deteriorate and eventually crumble before your eyes. Wood floors can also absorb this water and swell, buckle, and warp. The trick is to never allow water into your house, except in controlled situations, like when you’re mopping the floor or cleaning. Check these things around the house to prevent water infiltration.

• Check your gutters and clean them after the leaves have stopped falling. This will ensure that winter snow can melt and drain properly without clogging. Also, check your gutters in the spring to be ready for summer storms.
• Exterior drains. Places like your yard may have storm drains that need to be free of clogs.
• Check your window seals inside and out. Older homes often have caulk that may have dried and deteriorated. The water could enter and cause invisible damage between the inner wall and the outer wall.
• Check that your faucets are not dripping. Water damage starts with a single trickle of water that can turn into a flood. Also, if your outdoor faucet drips until the winter frost hits, the wet soil can expand and put enough pressure on your home’s foundation to cause a crack. Then, when the spring thaw hits, all that frozen soil can drain into your basement in the crack formed.
• Check all your indoor faucets and hoses. Make sure faucets are free of dripping or rust and hoses are free of cracks and leaks.
• Control the humidity in your home during the winter. Your windows and exterior walls can sweat if there is too much humidity. Most windows can handle this condensation, but excessive condensation can cause problems. Keep your humidity constant throughout the year. It is best to keep it around 30-35 percent.

Now let’s talk about mold. This is something that every city, state and country has. You can’t get rid of it, but you can learn to control it. Mold needs a cool, dark, moist environment to thrive. As mentioned above, keeping your home’s humidity between 30 and 35 percent is the first step in limiting the humidity level in your home. Second, is the breakdown. If your home is airtight and has no air circulation, you have a perfect home for mold. Ceiling fans, box fans, and even opening windows allows air to circulate, which helps prevent mold growth. It sounds counterintuitive in that opening windows would allow mold spores into your home. True, but spores aren’t a problem as long as you don’t give them an environment to grow.

Cleaning your home from mold growth is something of a science, but also some good old-fashioned remedies. The first thing to remember when cleaning is to never leave water on the surface for longer than necessary. What that means is wash and dry completely. For example, if you have a hardwood floor and you use a mop, you expose the wood to moisture which causes it to absorb and sometimes collect under the wood. Always use recommended wood cleaning products. The following tips are to help prevent mold growth and clean up existing mold before it gets out of control. If it gets out of hand, you’ll need professional help to remove it.

• Always use wood cleaning products on your hardwood floors. Never mop with a wet mop.
• If you spill water on your carpet or hardwood floor, wipe it up and dry it as soon as possible. Blot wet rugs with paper towels until no more water can be absorbed after stepping on the paper towel with the heel of your foot.
• Kitchen and bathroom sinks should be dried after use. Water that collects in the wall seams or backsplash are breeding grounds for mold.
• Keep your refrigerator dry. Never put hot items in the refrigerator because they will create steam.
• Inspect your shower and tubs to make sure the grout and tile seals are in good condition. Vinyl tub edges need to be caulked.
• If mold is found on a non-porous surface, bleach or ammonia may be used.
• If mold is found on a porous surface, 35% hydrogen peroxide can be used on the mold. Let it soak into the surface for a few minutes, then scrub to remove the mold. Dry the surface. The exact amounts to mix depend on the amount and type of mold you are cleaning. Note: 35% hydrogen peroxide can cause discoloration and burns. Read the warning labels and directions that come with 35% Food Grade Hydrogen Peroxide.

There are companies that specialize in water damage restoration and mold removal that have some high-tech tools and chemicals to combat mold. These companies are usually called when it is too late to address the problem yourself or you are unable to do it yourself. Your job is to clean the affected area so mold spores don’t spread to other areas.

Unfortunately, most people don’t realize they have a problem until it becomes serious. If you have a situation where it is beyond your abilities to repair or clean up, it is best to contact a professional water damage restoration or mold repair company. They usually work with your insurance company to make sure they pay for repairs and cleanup.