TUESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2014
 None of us want mold in our homes and in a flooded home, it might be difficult to avoid. But there are steps you can take to slow the growth of mold and to show your insurer that you tried to prevent the growth of mold. Why is this important? Because flood insurance will not cover mold if the homeowner could have prevented it and did not take steps to prevent it.
So, how do you prevent or slow the growth of mold after a flood? Here is what you need to do — keeping in mind that you have about 24 to 36 hours after a flood before the mold becomes a problem.
- Get the water out of your house. If you live in an area prone to flooding, you can purchase or rent sump pumps for basements to keep water out. You can also purchase items such as a submersible pump for lots of water or a wet/dry vacuum for water that is less than an inch deep. As soon as you see water coming in, unless it's a safety concern, start getting the water out. Be careful though; there is electricity in your house and electricity and water do not mix. Follow the guidelines on the machine you are using.
- Get wet rugs, furniture and other belongings out of the wet area. Garages are great places to let these things dry. Do not put anything damp back in the flooded area.
- Set up fans and a dehumidifier to dry out the area and keep the moisture levels low.
- Baseboards are the place where mold will likely start developing first. Gently remove the baseboards and dry them out. When the sheetrock is dry, then you can put dry baseboards back on after the cleanup. If you need to, cut small slits in the walls so air from the fans can get to the back of the sheetrock and dry it out.
Those four things will help keep the mold from overtaking your home after a flood. Seem like a lot of work? It is. So, you might want to consider hiring a professional to do all of that work. The important thing is to not delay!
Get the coverage you need. Call Integrity Network Insurance Group at (512) 989-6006 for more information on Round Rock flood insurance.
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