Whether your home has been burdened by the catastrophe of a flood or simply has a small leak that slowly has crept out of control, it’s important to act quickly when facing water damage. Regardless of if you are facing a challenging period of mourning your lost positions, or dealing with a nuisance to add to your to-do list, you need to take the necessary steps in order to prevent further damage to your home as well as your health.
Whether you are dealing with a leaky appliance, roof damage, or several feet of flood water, it’s essential to fix the problem before it leads to a variety of health hazards, from poor air quality to harmful biological growth. Read Onsite Restoration’s guide to the three health hazards of water damage.
1. Mold Growth
Where there is moisture, there will eventually be mold. The rate of mold growth depends on a variety of factors including humidity; however, it can grow significantly within 24-48 hours and can take hold of your home within 12 days if you don’t act quickly.
The most common indoor molds are:
- Cladosporium
- Penicillium
- Aspergillus
These can enter your home through open doorways, windows, vents, and HVAC systems; they can then grow in certain building materials such as wet cellulose materials like paper products, cardboard, ceiling tiles, wood, and wood products. Additional mold-friendly environments including paints, wallpaper, drywall, carpet, and fabric provide suitable conditions for mold growth.
Mold can rapidly grow within 24-48 hours of entering a moist environment. If you do not immediately act to reverse the problem, this hazard can quickly consume your home.
Mold may not be on your side, but we are at Onsite Restoration. We have the tools and skills to restore your house back to a home. Call our team today at (813) 579-5789, and we will be there when you need us.
2. Bacterial Growth
A top priority of a restoration contractor when you are facing water damage is to determine the hazard category of the water damaging your home.
- Category 1 – clean water from faucet lines such as the sink
- Category 2 – grey water from appliances such as washing machines and dishwashers
- Category 3 – black water from sewage down the toilet, aka poop water…gross.
Black water is obviously the worst type to deal with since it can cause serious health conditions from various bacteria. This type of water can cause gastroenteritis, Weil’s Disease, and Hepatitis. Cholera, dysentery, and typhoid are other potentially deadly diseases that can result from contaminated water in areas of your home’s infrastructure that black water shouldn’t be.
Sewage contains contaminants that can be potentially deadly to your health, so always leave flood cleanup to professionals.
You should avoid entering a flooded home until professionals arrive, but if this is unavoidable you should take extreme caution by wearing protective clothing and tall waterproof boots.
3. Structural Damage
Water damage can severely harm the structural integrity of a property since large quantities of liquid can degrade the strength of the incorporated building materials. Once mold begins to grow, it will feed on the material and cause rotting. Walls and ceilings may potentially cave in, causing damage to both your belongings and potentially your family.
Rotting wood will create general health hazards as it causes poor air quality and can lead to injury, not to mention, it will additionally reduce the value of your home.
Stay Safe & Secure with Onsite Restoration
Any kind of water damage can be a stressful situation to deal with. The biohazards introduced by water in places it shouldn’t be can take a serious toll on the health of you and loved ones, which is why it is important to respond hastily.
Our team at Onsite Restoration can help return your property to pre-loss condition. With 15 years of experience, we will take the burden off your shoulders so you can get back to living life as normal as quickly as possible with no biohazards in sight.
Do you want to protect your loved ones from potential illnesses caused by harmful mold and bacteria? Share with a friend to keep them safe and secure in case of water damage! Call our team now if you need help restoring your home from any kind of damage.
