I Just Discovered Standing Water in My Building. Now What?

3/18/2021 (Permalink)

Turn off the electricity at the fuse box.

Prevention Is Key When It Comes To Black Mold

In only a couple of days, water left to stand in your commercial building can result in major damage. Black mold and structural damage are real possibilities. Once the water is finally discovered, you’ll need to act quickly by:

1. Turning Off Electricity
First and foremost, when safely accessible, turn off the electricity at the fuse box. Appliances, electronics or exposed wires in the affected area will mean there’s probably an electric current traveling through the standing water. If the box isn’t safe to approach, you can call the power company to have them turn it off.

2. Stopping the Water
When it’s safe to enter the flooded area, stop the inflow of water, if possible. This might involve turning off the building’s main water supply or shutting it off at the source.

3. Turning Off HVAC System
No matter how long the water has been in the area, there will be some degree of water damage. If it’s been over 24 hours, it’s possible that black mold has started growing. You’ll want to turn off the HVAC system until the mold clean-up is completed. Mold spores could be in the vents, which means possible cross-contamination to other areas.

4. Removing Water
A wet/dry vacuum is a great way to quickly and safely extract standing water. It’ll also pull small debris from the water.

5. Containing Affected Area
The water-damaged area should be contained from the rest of the building until the mold remediation process is complete. Simply closing all doors to the area and sealing them with painter's tape will work until the professionals arrive. It’s also best to cover all vents to prevent mold spores from getting into the ventilation system.
Prevention is key when it comes to black mold. However, it’s sometimes unavoidable in the wake of a disaster, especially if the water has gone unnoticed for 24 hours or more. Locust Hill, VA, mold cleanup experts can handle these jobs along with any resulting moisture problem.