How fast should you address a water loss?

2/4/2025 (Permalink)

How fast should you address a water loss? From disaster to starting the cleanup process, how long is too long?

Typically after a water loss occurs it is very important to begin the mitigation process as soon as possible. There are a few different reasons for this such as the possibility of mold growth and secondary damage.

Secondary damage occurs when the initial spread of the loss has damaged as much as it possibly can directly and is left alone without intervention, causing high humidity in the space as water evaporates and begins to condense on unaffected materials. This can make ceilings wet in basement floods with only inches of water, wrinkle paintings or pictures on the wall, and can even contribute to mold growth.

Mold growth will typically start growing within 24-48 hours after a water loss. Initially growing on organic materials such as paper or wood, it can spread farther than it seems possible in just a few days’ time. Having mold growth occur can drastically increase the cost of any type of remediation if allowed to cultivate and spread. Having a professional come out to begin to stabilize the loss environment quickly is crucial to prevent the growth of mold.

So to prevent bigger issues down the road, you should start the mitigation process as soon as you can. Call SERVPRO to help you with any emergency situation you might have to not only help prevent further damage but to make it, Like It Never Even Happened!