If your home has suffered from flooding, it’s always best to act sooner rather than later. Rotten wood, bacterial growth, and an unpleasant odour all accompany serious flooding, so it’s in your best interest after all. Mould is a serious hazard that grows under just the right circumstances, and it just so happens that those circumstances are fairly common in a home that’s recently been flooded.
But how long does it take for mould to set in and become a hazard, or does it simply grow right away?
The Magic Recipe for Mould Growth
Mould bacteria is one of the most prevalent and ubiquitous organisms on the planet, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that it’s common in Australian homes. The good news is that most mould spores lie dormant and pose no immediate threat, but the bad news is that the conditions required to ‘activate’ the mould are quite easy to fulfil:
- Warm temperatures: mould can grow at refrigerator temperatures, as can be seen by that old plate of leftovers you may have once or twice forgotten. At ambient temperatures, that’s enough to promote mould growth indoors as well.
- Darkness: mould loves damp, dark areas where there is little UV light. This means wall cavities or other areas around the house without sufficient natural sunlight, such as deep down in the roots of a carpet, mould will prefer.
- Oxygen: like all living things, mould needs oxygen to survive. So unless you’re living on the moon or in a vacuum, yes, mould would certainly like to settle in your home.
- Moisture: humid air and moist spots are the last ingredient for turning dormant mould spores into active mould colonies that are harmful to humans. The first three ingredients for mould growth may be difficult or impossible to control, but humidity is one that you can (and should) control for. Anything above about 50 per cent humidity will encourage mould growth.
Why is Mould a Concern for Flooded Carpets?
As mentioned above, warm temperatures, darkness, and oxygen are to some degree present in just about every home. Moisture, while it can be controlled with a dehumidifier and proper airflow in the home, is introduced to the roots of the carpet whenever the house is flooded or water is left to stand on the carpet.
As you might imagine, simply leaving it be and hoping for the best is not a viable strategy to mitigate mould growth. Instead, action needs to be taken immediately to effectively soak up as much moisture as possible before serious damage and mould take root.
How Long Does it Take for Mould to Set in?
It depends on the scale and scope of the flood damage, but generally mould spores will begin to grow and fester anywhere from about 24 to 48 hours after exposure. Mind you, this could take place all over the carpet or perhaps only in a few patches, but it doesn’t matter – you must take action immediately with water damage remediation from a professional team to salvage what’s left of the carpet. In many cases, carpets can be safely salvaged from flood damage if action is quick and done well, but in many cases, even with the best techniques some or all of the carpet will need to be replaced.
Electrovac
Give us a ring at Electrovac if your carpet has suffered from flood damage and we will do our best to save you time and money restoring it.