Water and Mold Damage From Winter Pipe-Breaks in Akron, OH

12/30/2022 (Permalink)

Frozen pipes that burst can cause water and mold damage to your Akron, Ohio home.

Ending 2022 with Winter Storm Elliott has overwhelmingly damaged many homes and commercial buildings in Akron, Ohio with water damage due to pipe-breaks. If water isn’t extracted and structure completely dried within 24-48 hours than mold growth will begin. There are a few simple steps that property owners can do to save thousands of dollars. Taking the necessary steps to avoid structural mold growth after a water damage will not only preserve the integrity of a building but also the health of its occupants. If tackling water restoration to prevent mold growth on your own, home and business owners must be proactive, act quickly, and use proper personal protection equipment when implementing the following 6 steps:

1. Turn off the main water supply to your home and call your local plumber. Remove any standing water using a pump or a wet vac.
2. Remove wet carpets, rugs, draperies, and personal belongings.
3. Remove and discard water-saturated sheetrock and insulation 18 inches above the highest watermark to increase structural drying. Remove water-damaged flexible ductwork and water-damaged insulation around metal ductwork.
4. Dry the structure out as quickly as possible as structural mold will begin to form in the first 24-48 hours. As soon as the above removal steps are completed, turn up the heat, circulate the air with fans, and use a dehumidifier to keep the indoor humidity below 50 percent. Hot, dry air dries things faster than cold moist air. If there is no electricity, open windows, and doors to get air moving to speed up the drying process, if weather permits.
5. Use s HEPA filter air scrubbers to remove any kind of mold particles from the air. 
6. Don’t use bleach to clean mold. Bleach is an effective sanitizer, but it will not remove mold at its “root”. The mold will look like it’s gone but it is not; it will only grow back.

Call SERVPRO of West Akron today if Mold Begins to Grow

We have what it takes to restore your home or business if you experience water or mold damage. Our crews have the experience, reliability, ability to do the job, and the honesty to take care of your home and the possessions inside it. We know what it takes to restore your Tallmadge, Stow, Cuyahoga Falls, Munroe Falls and Akron property to make it, “Like it never even happened.” Call us 24-hours a day, no job is too small to big for our team. We are always here to help at 330-867-5723 or visit our website at www.SERVPROwestakron.com.