If you’ve recently had problems with water damage, no matter if it’s a burst pipe or some kind of flood damage, you know how important a quick reaction is. The sooner you take care of the problem, the smaller the damage water can do to your home.

However, even if you’ve resolved your water damage problems, you may not be out of the woods just yet. If you’ve not cleaned all of the water in time, or if there’s some water damage that you have not noticed (like inside your walls), you are risking a secondary problem – mold infestation.

We reached out to water damage and mold remediation experts at Emergency Home Solutions to tell us more about preventing and resolving mold damage.

Act Quickly

One of the most important things when dealing with mold is to act quickly and decisively. That means that you should consult professionals as soon as you notice the signs of mold.

There are a few tell-tale signs that could indicate mold problems. If you feel your throat scratching while you’re in your home, and nowhere else, you should look into a potential mold infestation. Mold has a very distinct musty smell, which should be a pretty clear indication that you have a problem. The only more solid proof that you have mold is if you spot the mold growth outright.

Can You Do Something About It?

Some people might take on the mold infestation on their own and resolve the problem themselves. There are some remedies that can remove the mold from surfaces. In some cases, especially if the mold is found on smooth surfaces, that can resolve the problem.

However, that doesn’t mean that any infestation can be resolved by amateurs. This applies particularly if you have mold in places which are inaccessible and hard to reach. In those cases, even if you successfully get rid of the surface mold, there’s no telling if you got all of it, or if it will return very quickly.

Professional Mold Remediation

Unlike most of us, mold remediation companies have plenty of experience with mold, they are able to discern where the mold will most likely grow and how it will spread.

However, what is more important, professional mold remediation companies have equipment and techniques that are specifically made to remove mold and do it effectively. What that means for you is that you will get rid of mold quickly and effectively.

Mold Growth Conditions

Getting rid of mold, while an important thing, can only get you so far unless you resolve the underlying problems that caused the problem in the first place. If your mold problem was started by flooding or a burst pipe, make sure to replace both the pipes and parts of your home which were in contact with water.

Mold thrives on damp and dark conditions, which means that your drywalls may be an ideal place for it, as well as damp basements or attics and roofs which have a leak somewhere due to damage.

If you aren’t sure how and why your mold problem got started, make sure to have professionals inspect your home for small leaks and damaged pipes, since there must be some water source which is helping mold grow and propagate.