How Fast Does Mold Grow After a Water Leak?

mold demolition
If you are wondering how long it takes for mold to grow in your property after a leak or a flood has occurred, the short answer is not very long at all. In fact, according to the Environmental Protection Agency’s mold brochure, mold can start to germinate and grow within just 24-48 hours and it can colonize within just 3-12 days.

That means that if there was, or continues to be, some sort of moisture problem in your property, you should address it immediately and also test for mold.

Mold is not something that you want to mess around with because it is seriously hazardous to your health, and can cause major damage to your property if it is left untreated. It’s kind of like cancer: the sooner you can detect it and treat it, the easier and cheaper it will be to deal with, and the less damage it will cause.

So you really don’t want to wait around.

Give one of our mold experts a call at 1-855-772-1244 as soon as possible to come take a look at your property for free.

We will do a full inspection of your property, and tell you whether you have mold or not. If you do have mold or water damage in your property, we will provide you with a free no-obligation estimate for what it would cost for us to get rid of the mold and take care of the water damage for you. That being said, once we provide you with the estimate, it’s totally up to you if you decide to hire us or not. Regardless of how you decide to proceed, we’ll still provide you with our expert opinion on what you should do.

So you really have nothing to lose by giving us a call.

Our trained technicians are available 24/7 all across the United States, and have many years of experience dealing with moisture and mold.

Call 1-855-772-1244 to schedule a free inspection and estimate now!

How Fast Can Mold Grow on Wet Drywall?

Mold can grow on drywall within 24-48 hours because drywall is a very porous material that is conducive to mold growth.

How Long Does Black Mold Take to From?

Black mold can form within 24-48 hours of encountering a moisture and food source like drywall.

How Long Does it Take for Mold to Grow in Wet Carpet?

It takes about 24-48 hours for mold to grow in wet carpets.

How Quickly Does Mold Grow on Wood?

It takes about 24-48 hours for mold to grow on wood.

How Fast Does Mold Spread in a House?

Mold spores colonize within 3-12 days which make it viable for mold to start spreading. That being said, mold spores are generally present in all properties, so if you have wet building materials present those can start growing mold within 24-48 hours.

How Long Does it Take for Mold to be Visible?

Mold becomes visible within just 18-21 days after encountering a moisture source. This is substantially longer than the 24-48 hours it takes for mold to start growing because mold colonies need to mature a little bit before becoming visible to the naked eye. In many cases, the mold will be growing in walls and not reach the surface of the wall and become visible until the mold growth is already severe. For this reason, it’s important to give our pros a call as soon as you experience a leak or some sort of water damage because it will be a lot easier to deal with if we can catch it early.

Does a Water Leak Always Mean Mold?

Even though water leaks carry a high risk of mold growth, they don’t always result in mold growth. In order for mold to grow 3 factors need to be present: mold spores, moisture, and a food source such as drywall or wood. If by chance those factors don’t all come together, mold will not grow. That being said, in order to lower your risk of mold growth you should dry all of the materials in your house as soon as possible if you experience a water leak.

How to Prevent Mold After Water Damage?

Mold generally grows faster if there is a good food source, mold spores present, moisture, humidity, and poor air circulation in the area.

Here are some factors that could prevent mold after water damage:

1. Fix Leaks Quickly

The faster you are able to detect and fix any leaks that may occur in your property, the less the water damage will be, and therefore the lower the chances of mold growth.

2. Remove Wet Building Materials or Items From Your Property

It’s important to take out any water damaged items or materials from your property as soon as possible. These might include rugs and any other porous materials that can grow mold and become a health hazard.

3. Use an Air Conditioner or Dehumidifier

Controlling the humidity levels of your space is important for lowering the chances of mold growth in your property. One way to do that is by using an air conditioner or dehumidifier.

4. HEPA Filters

Mold uses spores kind of like plants use seeds to expand. To prevent the mold spores from reaching the water damaged building materials and forming colonies, use a HEPA filter to help clean the mold spores out of the air during and after the leak.

5. Increase Air Circulation

Keep the air in the room fresh and circulating by using fans or opening your doors and windows. This reduces the humidity in your property and therefore prevents mold growth. Proper airflow can also reduce the moisture in your property and allow wet spaces in your property to dry more quickly.

6. Get Help Fast

As we mentioned before the sooner you deal with the water damage and mold, the easier the mold will be to deal with because it will not have had a chance to grow and/or spread yet.

Call 1-855-772-1244 to get a free inspection and quote today!