It's an unfortunate reality that lots of people underestimate the possibility damage water can cause with even limited exposure time. Chemistry teaches that water could be a base or perhaps an acid based on environmental factors meaning that in high acid environments, water provides a base as well as in low pH environments, water is slightly acidic. The mutable nature water affords water a chance to carve through solid rock to create beautiful natural wonders but this same ability may also destroy drywall, plumbing materials, and other common building materials. This time, however, is often forgotten when people cope with water damage and mold.

baltimore water damage

When dealing with water damage and mold, lots of people simply focus on the top layer of water and don't do anything for that layers water that have penetrated the subsurface or been absorbed in to the gypsum board (aka drywall and sheetrock) and sill plates usually due to the double whammy of they do not comprehend the risks plus they don't have the correct extraction equipment. Wikipedia reports that gypsum board is "easily damaged by exposure to water" and "supports the development of mold." While gypsum board is treated to make it more water-resistant, should the gypsum board be punctured or should water, as in the situation of water damage, collect round the unprotected area of the gypsum board, the porous gypsum board will then readily absorb and contain the water. The more this absorbed water stays inside the gypsum board the greater damage it causes.

Unlike fire damage that leaves a visible and generally static path of harm, water damage and mold can be subtle and can manifest its destruction over a period of time. Opposed to the immediate destruction brought on by fire, water, similar in lots of ways to worry, can slowly chip away at the host until it requires extensive repair at a cost that is MUCH higher and also over a place MUCH larger than initial exposure could have been necessary to treat. The subtle nature water is what causes water damage to be regularly underestimated and, therefore, undertreated in real world case scenarios.

baltimore water damage

Unfortunately, regardless of the best intention and valiant effort of numerous honorable do-it-yourselfers, their work is for naught because they simply lack the equipment needed for remediation and the like equipment is not commonly available at your local rental shop. At best these people may have access to an industrial carpet cleaner which could effectively remove the top layer water but does nothing to penetrate the subflooring or take away the absorbed water so they stop when the area feels dry and can leave a fan on. This method is very like the method employed by remediation professionals within the infancy of the water restoration profession but it was soon delivered to pasture because it was quickly proved to be ineffective, at best, and a catalyst for decomposition and mold growth, at worst.

The best way to combat water damage and mold, and also to avoid the short and long term devastation caused by water damage and mold, would be to call a professional water damage company when the damage is found. As the honorable do-it-yourselfer will have the unrelenting urge to break out their equipment and assist the professional water damage restoration company, the best way a do-it-yourselfer could assist the company is by disabling the source from the water damage (if possible), ensuring the region is free from electrical risks, and ensuring the affected area is free of debris and physical hazards (if at all possible) so that the professionals can extract water as soon as possible to minimize the restoration time.