Mold Alert!

10/10/2018 (Permalink)

Mold on furniture leg in area away from primary water damage.

Due to the recent heavy storm activity in Eastern Iowa, SW Wisconsin and NW Illinois, SERVPRO of Dubuque and our mold testing partner, MB Mold & Air Quality Testing have been inundated with calls about mold.

Mold can begin to grow on building materials after 48 hours of moisture.  So, the most important rule is to dry up water damage promptly.  

The problem this season has been that the water is recurring and the areas in question have not had chance to dry out before becoming saturated again.

We have also seen an unusually high number of issues related to secondary humidity.  When water damage is not dried properly using a combination of air movement and dehumidification, there can be side effects.  Normally a homeowner has access to more fans than the do dehumidification equipment.  The fans will encourage the wet materials to release their moisture to the air (evaporation).  With out the proper dehumidification to remove that moisture from the air, it can build up and cause moisture to affect areas that were not originally affected by the water damage.

We have seen several microbial growth on other unaffected areas such as carpet in another area of the building or walls, doors and trim on levels of the building above the level that was water damaged.  All of these mold issues can be blamed on secondary humidity.

If you have water damage, we recommend having it professionally dried prior to turning into a Mold Alert!  The water damage professionals at SERVPRO of Dubuque are here to help.