Water Damage and Mold Growth

Today I thought we’d talk about what you should be doing if you find yourself in a position where you have a leak in your home or perhaps you’ve had an accident where a bathtub may have overflowed or a toilet has spilled over when something has plugged it up. Or perhaps you’ve had a water line in the wall burst due to freeze / thaw issues or you see a puddle on the basement floor near the wall.

Leak location typically points to the source

If it is a leak that is continuing to grow or overflow and it’s coming from a hot or cold water copper / PEX line go to the main incoming water valve and shut it off. This will stop water from coming into your home until you’ve had a chance to address the source of the leak. This means you will not have water throughout your home but the leak and resulting spread of water will have been stopped temporarily. Remember that even though you’ve shut the water off at the main valve your water line still has pressure and a small amount of water may continue to come out briefly until that pressure has been released.

Once that has been done it would be a good time to call a licensed plumber to have them come by and take a look for the leak, repair it, test and turn on the water again.

If you still have a leak and it is on the floor in the basement consider the fact that you may have a foundation problem. When this is the case we recommend calling in a specialized foundation repair company. We use a company here in the Toronto area called D & D Crack Repair. They are skilled at assessing foundations and can provide you with excellent service and information. They are at http://www.crackrepair.ca/.

If you find a puddle in the middle of your basement floor or around one of your basement drains there may be a problem with a blocked sanity floor drain or a radiator supply line. Again, a plumber can help you understand any potential floor drain or radiator issue.  One thing about a potential floor drain or toilet overflow…the water that usually comes from these sources is defined as sewage and, as such, should be viewed as potentially containing pathogens and other fairly harmful viruses, bacteria and debris. You should not remove sewage water floods or spills by yourself…a specialized water damage removal technician should be engaged to review and remove sewage safely.

So, what types of water are there?

Clean Water

There may be instances where the water is classified as “clean water” despite its appearance.  Situations like when a pipe bursts open or say an appliance malfunctions will be deemed as “clean water” damage. Or perhaps there is a small leak in your roof that lets falling rainwater enter your home, in cases such as these, the water will still be deemed as “clean water.” This just might possibly be the easiest kind of water damage to deal with, since there won’t be too many microbes living in the water. Though “clean water” isn’t considered as big a threat as the other kinds of water damage, it can still cause issues if not addressed properly.

After we remove all the water, the property must then be thoroughly dried and dehumidified. We do this so as to avoid a lingering stench. If you decide against addressing your water damage you should be warned that this can result in the growth of mold. Once again, if the water has been standing still in your home for over 24 hours, it’s a matter of great urgency and you need to contact Restoration USA. We’ll take the extra steps to make sure that the water is dried extensively. We believe it’s especially important when the area in question has items that are easily drenched, such as wooden floors, carpets or drywall.

Gray Water

“Gray water” is water that is only slightly contaminated due to either the nature of the source or simply because of neglect. For instance, “clean water” can become “gray water” if it is left untended for a long period of time. When a toilet or a washing machine overflows, the resulting water would be classified as “gray.” Any kind of water that has been used or in any way contaminated is hazardous and possibly toxic due to the microbes that may be present. So if you wish to commence the cleaning and drying process before the water damage restoration service team arrives, it is recommended that you do so while wearing gloves. This is in order to keep your skin from coming in contact with the water so as to not contaminate yourself or anyone else.

Black Water

Widely regarded as the most hazardous out of the three kinds of water is what is called “black water”. “Black water”, is more often than not a result of either natural disasters or sewage damage. “Black water” may contain life threatening bacterial diseases, chemicals, pesticides, microbes and so much more. If your home or office building has suffered this kind of damage, we recommend that you let a qualified professional begin the disinfection and sterilization process. Before you attempt to handle the situation on your own and contaminate yourself. Not only do our trained technicians have the proper equipment, but we also take the necessary safety precautions in order to restore your home or office building back to its original state. If you do not handle the “black water” with care you are putting yourself and anyone you may come in contact with at risk.

Colored?

It’s important to note that the term “gray” or “black” water is not any indication of the colors of the water that you’ll see in your home. They’re simply terms that classify the level of water contamination. For instance, if you experience a flood from heavy rain, the water may appear to be “clean,” but if there is any groundwater that may have made its way inside as a result, chances are that there may be some invisible microbes lurking in the water.

Why is it important to find and repair a leak quickly?

Well, if you don’t address both the repair and dry out the area within 24 to 48 hours you will find that mold will have started to grow on any organic material moisture may have come in contact with.

You must ventilate and dry out the areas that were wet for the next 24 hours.

Or give us a call and we’ll provide you with information and advice without charge. We’re here to help…

Maple Leaf Mold Inc. is a certified  mold / asbestos removal and biological disinfection / air analysis company located in Toronto that uses certified IICRC technicians for all testing and remediation projects.

We are a professionally licensed firm experienced in testing, verifying  and removing Mold / Asbestos / Lead and other environmental contaminants as well as providing disinfection services to control and kill biological contaminants.

Call 416-254-7256 to talk with us about your issue anytime.