Water damage can cause much damage to a home. One of the main things that water damage can cause is mold. Mold grows from moisture and water. Mold can not only destroy a home, but more specifically it can ruin walls, furniture, carpets, and even flooring. Mold can also result in poor indoor air quality and with inhaling airborne can cause MANY respiratory problems including asthma, bronchitis and mold allergy symptoms. Some of the types of mold, for example, can be; black mold, green mold, etc. Black mold is prevalent in AZ homes.
To go more in depth in this article (as opposed to the last) here are some of the types, causes, & smells of mold to watch out for below:
Types of mold after water damage
The amount of moisture available for mold growth can depend on the water damage in the house. Every home should have an “available water”. An “available water” is often referred to as the water activity that has a scale of 0 to 1 in decimals. A scale of 1 means that the water is running in the material. Based on water activity, molds are divided into 3 categories.
Primary colonizers. Primary colonizers grow at a water activity less than or equal to 0.80
Secondary colonizers. Secondary colonizers grow at a water activity level of 0.80–0.90
Tertiary colonizers. Tertiary colonizers grow a water activity greater than 0.90. Since tertiary colonizers will only grow well with excessive water, they are used to calculate serious water damage.
Causes of water damage in homes
The causes of water damage in homes can lead to the mold. So in this section we gave you some bullet points of main causes of water damage.
- Broken dishwasher hose
- Washing machine overflow
- Dishwasher leakage
- Broken pipes
- Clogged toilet
- Leaking roof
- Moisture behind walls
- Foundation cracks
- Plumbing leaks
- Slab leaks
- Rain
Mold smell after water damage
Although it’s hard to pin point an exact smell of how types of mold smell, if you notice a smell that is different in your home but that is potent then it may be mold. Molds are also likely to grow inside the building on or in wet materials. Therefore, even if you can’t see any visible mold but you notice a musty or earthy smell, you most likely have mold growth places that you cannot see.