The rains roared, a pipe burst or something else happened to cause a flood in your home. The water has gone down, but everything is soaked. Nationally, the average costs of water damage reach over $2,400 per home incident. Even though it may cost you to clean up, leaving your home soaked isn't an option.
Why do you need to make sure that your carpets and upholstery get a professional clean following a flood or other type of water-related incident? Take a look at the problems that can creep up after water damage and why you need to do everything in your power to stop them.
Surface Mold Damage
Your carpets are wet. So you set up a few fans, open the windows and figure that they'll dry out. It's not like you haven't spilled water on your carpets before. And that dried without incident.
Severe water damage from a flooding or plumbing situation is different than a simple spill. When your carpets and furniture get a good soaking, they won't dry right away. This means that you run the risk of mold growth.
Mold can start growing on a wet surface in as little as 24 to 48 hours after the damage began. In one day you can start seeing mold, or at the very least — start smelling it. When your carpets and furniture start showing signs of spore growth, you need to bring in the pros. Leaving spores behind opens up your home for mold regrowth. If you don't know how to properly remediate the problem you could have a repeat situation.
Deep-Down Cleaning
Keep in mind, simply wiping off the moldy surface isn't enough to solve the growing problem. Why not? Mold spores may be lurking beneath the surface. A soaking wet carpet isn't just an "on the top" problem. The padding underneath, and possibly the subfloor, may have mold growth due to water damage as well.
Vacuuming or drying the top of your carpet with a fan won't stop the mold spores living under the surface from growing. Even though you can't see the dark slimy growth, you'll be able to smell it. The same goes for your upholstered furniture. Mold can grow inside of cushions and other areas of your couch, chairs, mattresses and other pieces.
A pro can go deep, getting all of the mold spores and helping to restore your home to a safe, healthy condition.
Reasons to Clean
Why worry about mold? Whether you can see it or just smell it, mold growth can affect you (and your family members). While some people have absolutely no ill-effects from mold growth, others are more susceptible to this substance.
Mold can cause a host of health issues, ranging from a stuffy nose to a severe allergic or asthmatic reaction. Common mold-induced health issues include coughing, sore throat, stuffy nose and skin irritation. People with compromised immune systems, as well as the very young and the elderly, are more likely to develop mold-related symptoms.
The only way to get rid of allergic respiratory and skin symptoms that stem from mold exposure is to eliminate the mold itself. Again, just because you can't see the mold doesn't mean it isn't there. If you have water damage, and haven't done anything to clean it up, it's likely that mold has started growing. If it's been more than a day or two you, and your carpet's and soft surfaces are still wet, it's time to get an expert to remediate your problem. Doing so will freshen your house and reduce the risk of mold-related illnesses.
Do you have a flooding or water damage issue? Are your carpets and furniture damp or wet? ANR Restoration Inc. can help.