How to Prevent Mold Growth After A Fire
With a housefire, fire suppression is essential, but it can leave your property soaked and not knowing what to do. Fire is absolutely devastating to a building because not only does the home get subjected to fire damages, but risks water and mold damage as the fire is handles. The triple threat makes it one of the most costly and difficult of disasters to happen to your home. Here are our steps to preventing mold growth after a fire.
It should be mentioned that first and foremost, contact a professional fire and mold damage restoration specialist near you. Most homeowners don’t have the industry standard equipment or knowledge to fully handle the aftermath of a fire on their own.
1. Remove All Standing Water
Professionals will first remove all standing water in your home to remove the source of what issues may incur. This can be done with pumps or wet vacs. When disposing of the sitting water, remember not to overwhelm your home’s plumbing system. After this, specialists will remove all soaked materials from your home. This can include rugs, carpets, sheetrock, pillows, blankets – essentially anything that can soak up and hold onto water.
2. Dry and Dehumidify Your Home
Next, water and mold damage professionals will dry and dehumidify your home to prevent mold growth. Since mold thrives in warm, wet environments, your water-logged home is the perfect place to take over. Professionals will open all the windows and doors to get the maximum airflow and place high-velocity fans in the home along with commercial dehumidifiers.
3. Disinfect All Wet Surfaces
Even though all surfaces may not have been damaged, they were all touched by water. This water is not necessarily clean and can pose health risks to the members of your household. Fire suppression also usually involves the use of chemicals, which, in turn, get all over your home.
4. Check for Leaks
Unfortunately, even when you think your house is all back to normal, it is still at risk for serious damage. Fire and fire suppression can leave your home vulnerable to leaks through the walls, ceiling or plumbing system. Restoration professionals will take special care to inspect the whole home for damages and leaks that could let in more water and mold.
5. Maintain Low Humidity in Your Home
Once it is all said and done, you still have a responsibility of your own. Keep your humidity levels between 30 and 50% to prevent growth. Additionally, maintain good air circulation and ventilation.
As stressful as the aftermath of a fire can be, rest assured that you are taken care of by Puget Sound’s most trusted disaster restoration specialist. Call us today if you have experienced damage from fire, water, mold or flood and we will restore your home in its entirety.
