If your home was recently the victim of a flood, you may be wondering about how to fix water damage. Water damage can lead to a myriad of short-term and long-term issues, especially if you try to fix the damage yourself, or let the water dry naturally. If you would like to learn more, check out these four terms you should know about water damage and restoration.
1. Mold
Mold is a type of latent damage that occurs after water damage. Latent damage may not appear until much later, and it is often caused by slow and improper drying. When it comes to mold, the slower you dry the area, the more time the mold has to grow. There are many types of molds that can invade your home, but some of the most common include aspergillus, Cladosporium, and Stachybotrys.
Some forms of mold, like Cladosporium, are not toxic to humans, but they can trigger allergy symptoms if you have mold allergies, breathing problems, and/or a weakened immune system. Stachybotrys, or black mold, however, can affect anyone. Even if you don’t have allergies or an underlying condition, you may start to notice severe health issues after exposure to black mold.
2. Indoor Air Quality
Mold can also affect indoor air quality. Indoor air quality refers to how clean the air inside your home is. Water damage could also expose some hazardous materials, such as asbestos insulation, which can affect indoor air quality. In addition, standing water is a perfect home for bacteria and other organic critters that could make you sick, such as pests.
After water damage, restoration technicians will likely test your indoor air to check the quality. If it is poor, they will recommend changes. If left untreated, poor indoor air quality can lead to eye irritation, fatigue, headaches, and dizziness. In many cases, short-term exposure to poor indoor air leads to little to no complications. Long-term exposure, however, can lead to respiratory disease, heart disease, and certain types of cancer.
3. Contaminates
The water that floods your home may contain certain contaminants that may pose health risks. Graywater often results from overflowing washing machines, dishwashers, backed-up shower, etc. Graywater, however, does not contain any sewage or similar waste. It can be dangerous, however, because it may contain chemicals like detergent, and it contains some pathogens.
Blackwater is any floodwater that has human waste in it. This may include blood, fecal matter, and urine. These types of floods are often caused by a sewage backup, but a major flood from outside may also contain human waste, especially if the sewers overflowed. Naturally, this type of water can spread many diseases and illnesses, such as typhoid.
ast, even clean water can pose a problem. Clean water may come from a leaking water heater and melting snow. This type of water is usually fine for you to clean yourself. However, if you wait too long, the water may become hazardous as pathogens grow, turning the clean water into graywater.
4. Porous
When restoring your home after a flood, technicians may talk about porous items and non-porous items. Porous items absorb water well, making them terrible for floods. Items like couches, carpets, and mattresses, absorb the water well, making them harder to clean. For non-porous items, you can simply disinfect and reuse them.
Depending on the type of water and the extent of the damage, it may be best to just toss some porous materials, but some can be saved. For example, drywall is a rather porous material, especially when compared to tile, but when cleaned properly, technicians may be able to save the drywall or reduce how much they must replace it.
After any flood, it’s important to start the drying process immediately. This will reduce the risk of latent damage and save you money. If you would like to learn more, or if you want to request a quote, contact us at ACE Restoration Services, LLC, today.