Water Damage May Lead to Secondary Damage

3/16/2021 (Permalink)

Water and mold damage in a Hyde Park, TX home.

Water and Mold Damage

Whether from a slow leak, pipe burst or flood, unwanted water in your Hyde Park, TX, home can be overwhelming. Along with worrying about cleaning up and salvaging belongings, secondary damage becomes a concern. The longer water sits, the more it leads to additional headaches, such as black mold.

Beyond Visible Damage
While standing water is a clearly visible sign of trouble, water issues often have a way of sneaking up on you. If the problem has been hidden for a while, there is a good chance that the damage has spread and taken on new forms. Even a small leak may present more problems than it may seem. When it comes to water damage, evaporation and high humidity are two components that pave the way for additional damage. If the initial damage isn’t properly addressed, those two culprits lead to:

• Black mold growth
  
• Cracked plaster or sheetrock
  
• Walls, floors and ceilings warping
  
• Water stains
  
  

Prevention Tips
Since moisture in the air may quickly start to condense throughout a home, materials that weren’t even near the source of the original problem can become wet. Once high humidity is factored in, getting everything dried out becomes much more difficult. Taking fast action is key to avoiding growing damage. Along with calling a water and mold damage restoration professional, who will have the expertise and commercial-grade tools to properly restore your home, it’s vital to take a few initial steps to start the drying process:

• Extract any standing water.
  
• Ventilate the area to increase airflow.
  
• Open any drawers and cupboards.
  
• Remove any saturated textiles, such as rugs and curtains.
  
• If furniture can’t be moved, raise it from the floor to avoid water wicking up.
  
  

Water damage doesn’t have to mean dealing with black mold. Immediately addressing water issues and taking steps to dry out the home can reduce the chances of additional damage.