The Flood Co. Blog

Posts Tagged ‘basement flood’

We perform a lot of inspections for people who are looking to buy a home. They don’t want to have any surprises. They are trying to investigate and understand all of the problems with a home before they buy it. Knowledge is power. If you know about something you can take appropriate actions. If a home you are considering buying has mold you can can find out what the removal and repairs will cost and adjust your offer to buy the home accordingly. Well this particular experience was a little different.

The prospective buyer who hired us did not want to know about the mold in the home. It was a bank owned home, and he was convinced that he had already negotiated a very good price on the home. In the process of getting a new mortgage on the home, the mortgage company required a home inspection. The home inspector pointed out some possible mold in his report. The mortgage company did not want to make a bad investment, so they required a mold inspection and report from a mold professional. That is the actual reason we were there, is because it was required by the mortgage company for them to grant a loan.

We did find a lot of mold. All of the basement walls were mold affected and about half of the ceiling. The water had come from problems in both of the bathrooms on the main floor above. Both bathrooms needed to be pretty nearly demolished, including a shower. This is alot of mold, a lot of work required and a lot of repairs; at a very considerable cost of course. The total cost of the mold cleanup and repairs was over $45,000. We wrote up a report for this customer and his mortgage company that described the damage and the needed repairs. The logical thing would be to ask the seller to pay for or share in the cost of the needed work. Well this man wanted this house pretty bad and I guess he thought it was worth what he had already negotiated for the home. He did not give our report to the mortgage company, instead he found someone that knew little or nothing about mold to write up a statement that minimized the mold problem. Even though he was not the owner of the home yet, he hid the problem from his mortgage company. He over paid for the house. He obviously did a poor or insufficient mold cleanup and he moved his family into this mold affected home. At times emotions can lead to irrational behavior, including loving a home too much.

Basement floods are usually very devastating. The short term effects consist of damaged properties and dangers that it poses to life and limb. But there is certainly a long term result which could be equally – if not more – devastating: mold. So how are you able to eliminate mold after your basement floods? Here are the issues to keep in mind:

1. Dry and dehumidify the flooded basement
Mold is induced by moisture. That’s why it’s crucial to dry your flooded basement immediately. Remove any standing water as this can absolutely help the mold reproduce. It is possible to then dehumidify your basement.

2. Wash and dry out affected textiles
This is up there on the priority list. Textiles that are affected by drinking water like towels, drapes, bedding and the like must be washed and dried immediately to reduce the risk of mold buildup. If items such as carpets, mattresses, appliances, books, and others are damaged beyond repair or already have mold buildup on them, it is recommended you contact your local authorities for proper disposal. Do NOT store it in a corner for later disposal.

3. Clean all surfaces
Clean and dry all of the surfaces in your basement and other affected areas. All individuals that were in the affected areas should wash up right away. Sanitize and wash down the surfaces with clean water and dry out immediately.

These are steps to take to help reduce the chances of mold when your basement floods. Unfortunately, there’s a possibility that you won’t be able to check everything. You may miss something that could result in mold buildup. So what is there that you can do? It is recommended you contact a qualified technician that specializes in mold removal. They have a trained eye, along with specialized state-of-the-art testing equipment. They also possess the required expertise and knowledge to remove mold following a basement flood. Here are some things they can do to avoid mold buildup:

1. Advanced water extraction and area dehumidifying
This is crucial to avoid mold buildup. The technicians should have state-of-the-art methods to make certain the water extraction and dehumidifying process are going to be efficient and, most importantly of all, effective.

2. Disposal of mold and restoration of property
Professional technicians should possess the expertise of knowing what can be salvaged and what cannot. If a particular item is salvageable, they will do what they can to salvage it; otherwise, due to the risk of mold, they will most likely recommend it be destroyed.

Should you not take care of these issues right away following a flood, mold buildup is very likely. It’s even more difficult and expensive to eliminate mold than it is to avoid it. With these tips on ways to avoid mold during a basement flood, you can help prevent headaches that mold can bring. Get more information about mold prevention.