Spring Ahead to Prevent Mold

3/4/2019 (Permalink)

As the last of the winter storms finally melt on the East End of Long Island, property owners everywhere are dealing with more leaks, pipes breaking, flooded basements and related problems in their homes and businesses. If water is left to sit for too long, mold can develop. Fortunately, with a few precautionary steps, you can prevent the spread of mold.

The following practical tips from SERVPRO of the East End will help you control moisture, properly ventilate your home or business, thoroughly clean, and ultimately, prevent mold from growing inside of your home or business. 

Reposition Your Downspouts

Make sure your downspouts are positioned away from your property. This will ensure the water drains away from the property preventing debris, soil, and stone buildup. Re-positioning downspouts will also help ensure the interior of your property remains nice and dry and, thereby, free of fungal growth. 

Use a Dehumidifier 

Many properties have a closed-loop ventilation system, which essentially recirculates the same air indoors. To purify the air and prevent indoor air contaminants from collecting, consider using a dehumidifier. Your basement, for example, is a great place to install a dehumidifier, because basements are generally damp. The dehumidifier will help keep the relative humidity between 30 and 50 percent hereby preventing black mold growth.

Check Your Attic 

Inspect your crawl space, your attic or any room you tend to overlook or think very little about. Because you do not spend a great deal of time in these rooms, you may neither consider nor suspect mold growth. The longer the mold grows, the greater the damage it can cause. Not only will the cost to remediate the problem increase, but your health may also worsen because of ongoing mold exposure. Thus, you want to detect mold in its earliest stages. Inspecting the rooms you do not usually use will help you to do just that. 

Repair All Leaks 

If the wintry weather has damaged your property's foundation or roofing, leaving cracks of any size, water could easily enter (and weaken) the structure. When you have moisture, the right temperature, and a food source (think drywall), mold can grow within 24 to 48 hours.  Act fast and fix leaking pipes, deteriorating window sills and frames, and even a cracked chimney or foundation. Don't let these small repairs wait, or you will likely have bigger problems ahead. Inspect areas of your property where there's more plumbing and thereby more potential for leaks: in the basement and underneath the bathroom and kitchen sinks. Unfortunately, you can't always see a leaking pipe. In many cases, it's either behind a wall or underneath a floorboard. But, you might see water damage on a floorboard, ceiling tile or wall resulting from it. For assurance and peace of mind, consider calling SERVPRO of the The East End for a professional assessment. 

Frequently Clean

Spring is the perfect time to clean your carpets, drapery, upholstery, furniture, kitchen, bathroom tiles and grout; and all of the dark, damp corners of your property. Cleaning each of these will help you keep tabs on problem areas. You are more likely to locate water damage and prevent mold if you are cleaning on a regular basis.

Always control moisture, keep sufficient airflow and clean your property often. If you see signs of mold following your spring cleaning, call SERVPRO of the The East End to professionally clean, dry and disinfect the area. Mold in your home or business from winter conditions is an unfortunate situation, but SERVPRO of the East End will be happy to professionally mitigate any damage and make it look and feel "Like it never even happened."