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After your home or commercial property has been hit by a flood, it’s likely that your initial concerns are with protecting your valued possessions, of cleaning carpets and flooring and getting things dry and free of damp as quickly as possible.
However, one of the most significant issues caused by flood water isn’t damage to furniture or property, it’s actually mold. Any excess moisture within a building provides the perfect breeding ground for mold, which, aside from being unsightly, can actually be extremely detrimental to the health of you, your family, or your employees.
Mold: The Health Risks
Mold can affect people in a variety of ways. It’s highly likely that, even in the best possible scenario, you’ll experience allergy-like symptoms as a result of being exposed to mold, including skin irritation, sneezing, nasal congestion and itchy eyes.
However, in other cases, the symptoms can be far more severe. In particularly bad incidences, people have been known to suffer shortness of breath and even fever; and individuals with compromised respiratory systems, such as those suffering from chronic lung conditions, can even develop mold infection on the lungs.
According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, it’s also important for people with asthma to avoid being in proximity to mold, as it can greatly exacerbate the condition.
Taking Action Against Mold
If your home or office has recently suffered flooding, your chances of developing a mold problem are greatly increased, due to the elevated levels of moisture in the environment. Even if you believe that you’ve successfully cleared all the water from the area, it’s really important to call an expert Mold Remediation Service, to make sure that the environment is safe for your family or employees.
A Mold Remediation Service will, if required, conduct tests of the area (though this may not be necessary if the mold is not wide-spread) and will then address the problem of containing the problem and preventing further spreading, before moving on to eradicating the mold. They’ll also focus on drying the surrounding area out thoroughly, in order to get rid of any dampness and to stop mold spores from breeding.
The Importance of Acting Fast
When you experience a flood in your home or office, it’s imperative to take quick, decisive action. This is because mold spreads extremely fast. If caught early, mold remediation is unlikely to be a particularly complex or costly job. However, if left for too long, mold can swiftly take hold of an environment, multiplying rapidly and causing problems of a far more serious nature.
Rather than waiting for mold to make an appearance in your workplace or at home, it’s better to act pre-emptively. Straight after the flood, call a flood restoration service (who are also likely to offer a mold remediation service too). They’ll not only clear the waters and dry the area, but will also tackle any mold issue before it turns into a major problem.
The post Mold Issues after Flooding: The Facts and the Benefits of Mold Remediation Services appeared first on Gator Cleaning Solutions.