After coming home, a home owner realizes his or her home has been hit by a flood. On a hot spring day, mold may grow within days in a dark basement. Here is what a home owner needs to know about mold. 

Mold can be detrimental to a home in a matter of days. Most mold is not detrimental to a healthy individual’s wellness. Individuals with less than perfect immune systems and respiratory problems can experience complications. There is a certain mold that could affect your health: black mold. Black mold can be highly detrimental to a human’s health in a few severe ways. On top of all the detrimental health effects, mold smells bad. 

Mold can manifest in a matter of days in warmer climates. In order for mold to grow, it needs an abundant supply of moisture, heat, darkness and natural surfaces. Moisture is a necessity for mold to grow. Hence, mold is often found a week after a flood has swept through a home. Mold needs to be kept warm in order to reproduce and grow upon a natural surface. Natural surfaces, such as wood or cotton, are a food source for mold to feast upon. In essence, it is digesting the wood to replicate further upon the surface. Mold cannot tolerate ultraviolet light, so it often grows within walls and other crevices. 

Mold can grow rapidly within ideal conditions. A mold in warm, dark, humid areas that contain a natural food source can grow within 48 hours. This is why taking care of flooded areas of the house is necessary; otherwise, the mold may grow into an extensive problem within days. 

There are steps a home owner can take to prevent mold from growing include reversing the ideal environment for mold growth. This is a simple process of drying the area out. If a person can get their basement dry within 24 hours of the incident, there is almost no chance of mold growing; however, it is often unrealistic to dry a basement within 24 hours of a flood. Mold grows ideally in a optimum humidity of 70 percent. Reducing the humidity will not prevent mold from growing, if it has already started. 

If mold is growing within a home, the best solution is to use a solution of one part bleach and one part water, then apply it to the surface where mold is growing. Wear gloves when cleaning the mold to avoid running touching any hazardous material. A mask may be helpful as well to prevent any irritation from spores. 

In the case of an advanced mold infestation, a home owner may require the skills of professionals who are skilled in mold removal.