How long does it take for mold to grow in the bay area

7/14/2020 (Permalink)

Whether it is an overflowing sink, washing machine or other appliance, always make sure the area is handled correctly to avoid mold growth

So you’ve had a little overflow at the house and you think you did a good job soaking up the water and cleaning up the spill.  A few days have gone by and now it is starting to smell musty and you are wondering what is happening.

It doesn’t take much water to make a pretty big issue.  That smell you are experiencing is the sign that things are happening on the microbiology scale.  Even though you may not see anything, mold is starting.  This can happen in as little as 72 hours after the water damage, or quicker if the water was hot. 

Mold only needs a few things in order for it to grow, humidity, Food (Wood like your framing or paper like your drywall) and warmth.  Mold likes to have environments similar to what is comfortable with us when it relates to warmth.  Our houses are mostly made of wood and paper materials, just what mold likes to eat.  So, now you add a little moisture and you have the ideal environment for mold to grow. 

What do you do now?  Well, if you truly had a small amount of water that you cleaned up quickly, you may be able to get away with cleaning the areas touched by water with a disinfectant and setting up a fan to dry them out.  This is only an option if the area was very small and there are no visible signs of mold growth. 

If the area is a little larger, has visible signs of mold, or has multiple layers of materials then you may have to get more invasive.  The only way to get rid of mold is to physically remove it.  Spraying and wiping it may make the visible part go away but all you really did was put all the mold spores in the air that you breathe.  The affected materials, drywall, baseboard, flooring needs to be physically removed to at least 12” beyond all visible signs of mold damage.  This is the only way to remove mold.  If you have more than a small area of mold (less than a square foot)  you really need to bring a professional in to help assess your needs to properly take care of the issue. 

BE AWARE, mold remediation is often an area that be taken advantage of by the restoration contractor.  Often times, the restoration contractor will use fear as a means of increasing the cost of the job.  They may also bid a really small number, far less than anyone else, and then when they open the wall, tell you that they found a much larger problem and the overall cost ends up higher than any other company you received an estimate from.  Always find a restoration contractor that you are comfortable with and you feel is being truthful with you. Avoid the really low estimates, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.  Never let a remediation contractor also perform the testing, this is a direct conflict of interest and gives him the ability to make the job whatever he wants it to be.  Always use an independent Hygienist that works for you, science never lies. 

Mold Remediation should average about $185 per man hour of labor plus any equipment to control the environment and any testing that may be needed.  If you receive and estimate of $5000 for a job that will take about half a day, you know that estimate is high.  As well, a $1000 estimate for a job that will take three to five days may be too low and indicate an expensive “find” during the work.

At SERVPRO of Antioch we pride ourselves on giving honest information and honest bids.  We never inflate our estimates and the price we give you is what we strive to keep it at.   When we assess your situation, we walk you through what we see and what it means as well as what it will take to remediate.  You will be knowledgeable of your loss at the end of our assessment so you can make the decisions that are right for you.  We always use independent Hygienists that work for you, so you are assured that our work is done correctly. 

Mold is a household issue that must be disclosed at the time of sale in California.  It is important that you have a professional company remediate when it is more than a tiny amount, and that you have the paperwork showing that your indoor environment has been returned to its pre loss condition. 

Should you need help with your musty smell, call the experts at SERVPRO of Antioch at 925-706-0106