Dallas Flooding Leads to Black Mold Removal

1/9/2019 (Permalink)

Our SERVPRO specializes in water damage restoration in Dallas. We've restored thousands of homes and businesses since 1986.

Water Mitigation and Mold Remediation in Dallas

What was already a difficult situation for the Johnson family became more of a headache when they found out their flooded home had mold growing underneath their flooring.  The mold was discovered during water damage cleanup when a severe storm flooded their backyard and the water flooded their kitchen and living room. What was supposed to a typical Dallas flood damage repair in Dallas ended up also becoming black mold remediation.

Months before the storm, the Johnsons had what they thought was a small leak behind their refrigerator.  They called a plumber who fixed the leak, and the family mopped up the water themselves. They thought that would be the end of their small water damage, but it was only after their floor was ruined after the storm and the boards were pulled up that they realized their previous water damage was actually the cause for mold growth underneath their wood floors.

Dallas Storm Damage

When a severe storm in Dallas dumped inches of rain in a matter of a few hours, the Johnson’s yard began to flood.  The family attempted to keep the water out by putting all of their towels underneath their sliding door to their backyard.  Yet, the water still rose above their door’s threshold when their drainage system became clogged from storm debris.

When our technicians arrived at the Johnson's house, the first thing we did was remove the storm damage debris from their yard in an effort to help the yard drainage begin to work.  This helped alleviate some of the problem, but there was still water inside the house that needed to be extracted immediately.

Contaminated Water

Water from floods that rises from the ground up is considered to be contaminated.  We consider this water to be Category 3 which means it has the potential to be hazardous to a person’s health.  The reason flood waters are considered contaminated is because they have touched the ground where many pesticides and other unknown factors have mixed with it.

When our technicians are cleaning Category 3 water, they take into consideration the safety of all occupants.  We spray sanitizer before and after water removal to make sure that everyone is safe during the water removal process.

Demolition

Because storm damage water is contaminated, properties that experience flooding need demolition.  This is why many homes that needed flood cleanup in Texas after Hurricane Harvey had a portion of their drywall cut and removed.  For the Johnsons, this was also the case. The drywall the water had touched was permanently ruined and had to be removed. Unfortunately, this was also true for their flooring in their kitchen and living room.

It was when the kitchen and living room flooring was being removed that we found mold growth underneath the boards.  Because the family had called us immediately when the water came in from the storm, we knew that not enough time had passed for mold to begin growing from the storm’s water damage.  Instead, what we found was mold from their previous water damage which we traced back to their refrigerator leak months ago that was not properly remediated.

It was at this point that what was already a difficult situation for the Johnson family became more of a nightmare as we needed to now include mold remediation as part of their cleanup project.

Mold Inspection

Upon discovering mold, our licensed mold contractor visited the Johnson’s property.  The mold that was present in the house was on the kitchen floor and the adjoining living room floor. We came up with a mold remediation plan and got to work immediately.

Black Mold Removal in Dallas Fort Worth

In order to prevent the mold from going airborne and traveling to other portions of the Johnson’s family house, our technicians installed mold containment.  Mold containment is when we isolate the mole infested areas in the home with a floor-to-ceiling covering. We also installed HEPA vacuums two remove airborne particles.  For the Johnson family, this meant that mold containment was set up both in their kitchen and their living room.

With the containment set up and the HEPA vacuums running, our Dallas mold remediation technicians removed the Johnson’s flooring and began removing the black mold in their home.

It’s not uncommon to find black mold in Dallas Fort Worth, especially after water damage restoration.  The natural environment found in our area of the world is conducive to this type of mold. While many articles have been written about mold symptoms related to the toxicity of black mold such as Stachybotrys Chartarum, there are actually thousands of different types of molds, many of which also have a black color.

Structural Drying

Because of the Johnson’s flood, we had to make sure that their property was properly dried.  Correct structural drying helps prevent damage to walls and flooring, and it also helps prevent future mold.  Our team set-up dehumidification equipment and created a drying plan. The Johnson’s property was monitored every day to make sure that our drying plan was proceeding and working to plan.

Homeowner’s Insurance and Water Damage Repair in Dallas

Every insurance policy is different, and only your insurance company can tell you what your policy covers in the event of water damage to your home.  If your insurance company considers your water damage to be caused by a flood, they may not cover your claim. For this reason, it is important to consider flood insurance for your property, especially if you live in a flood zone.

Fortunately, the Johnson family had considered flood insurance before and purchased a policy that covered the cost of their storm caused water damage remediation.  Their regular homeowner's insurance covered other costs of their mold remediation.

Flood Insurance

If you're unsure if you're living in a flood zone please check out FEMA's website here.  Even though we do not live in a coastal region, there are still many flood zones in Dallas.  If you are interested in purchasing flood insurance, contact an insurance agent that can sell you a policy. 

To learn more about flood insurance, read FEMA's article The National Flood Insurance Program.

Reconstruction

Many water damage companies are only able to help you extract the water and dry your structure.  But when demolition needs to happen and your drywall has been cut away and your floor removed, the next step to actually getting your property back the way it was before the damage is to rebuild what was torn out.

We are one of the few full-service Texas disaster restoration companies that can handle your Dallas restoration claim from beginning to end.  

For the Johnson family, this meant that after we were done with their mold remediation and their water damage, our reconstruction team was able to get their homeowners insurance to approve the replacement of the drywall, fresh paint, new floorboards, and a new floor for their kitchen and living room.

In a matter of just a few weeks, the Johnson family’s living room and kitchen were put back together, and their disaster was “Like it never even happened.”

How to Prevent Mold Growth in Home after Water Damage

Whenever you have water damage, no matter how small it is, it’s a necessity to get your property dried.  Mold grows and dark, moist environments and will continue to grow unless it is removed completely. Even a few mold spores can end up causing property damage if it's allowed to fester.  There are many companies that offer mold clean up in Dallas. Make sure they are licensed by the State of Texas, and choose one that also offers reconstruction services in case they need to demolition any part of your home.

If you've taken care of what was a small water damage and you are wondering if you have properly dried your home, give us a call.  We will be able to inspect your property and check for any wet spots that may have been missed.

To learn more about preventing mold after water damage, read our article. 

Leader in Mold Cleanup and Water Damage Restoration in Dallas

SERVPRO of North Irving is a trusted leader in Texas disaster restoration.  We are an expert mold removal company in Dallas, TX, and we have helped restore thousands of homes and businesses in our hometown for over 30 years. Our SERVPRO in Dallas franchise also has a Texas Mold Remediation Contractor License. We offer free mold inspections in Dallas and all of North Texas. Besides residential services, we also offer Dallas commercial mold remediation.  You can trust us to handle all your residential and commercial restoration and cleaning service needs.

Our crews are available dispatch for 24 hour emergencies every day of the year. We can be reached 24/7 at (972) 986-7677.  Call us any time!

“Like it never even happened,” only happens here.