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10May
2021

Everything You Need to Know About Mold (But Were Too Grossed Out to Ask)

Mold is something you don’t want in your home or place of business. It’s an organism that can appear after water damage, it can lead to property damage and can also be a health hazard.  

You might remember that we mentioned mold when talking about spotting the signs of water damage. But how do you identify mold, what causes it, how can you get rid of it, and will your insurance company cover the repair costs? Let’s roll up our sleeves and take a closer look at this common and damaging culprit. 

How to spot mold

You can identify mold by the way it looks and by its musty odor. There are many forms, and it can be black, white, green, yellow, or blue. Sometimes you notice it and think it’s a stain on a surface at first. 

You might see it in damp indoor places such as bathrooms, showers, or behind a leaky sink, and it can also grow on carpets and other soft furnishings. Look for signs such as flaking paintwork or bulging or breaking up of tile grout.

The dangers of mold

Healthwise, mold exposure can cause allergies and respiratory difficulties. Some people are not affected at all, while others are more vulnerable to mold. 

Property-wise, it’s not good news. Mold loves to grow on wood which can cause structural damage, and it can damage plaster on walls.

Causes of mold

Florida is a mold-prone state, unfortunately, due to our warm and humid climate which is an ideal condition for mold to take hold. 

Escaped water or water damage can lead to mold growth, so watch out for a leaking roof, escaped water from appliances, or burst pipes. Failure to find the source of a leak can lead to big damage if it goes undetected. 

Mold and mildew can develop just 24 to 48 hours after water exposure, and it will keep on growing until it is detected and tackled. Sometimes leaks are not noticed straight away, such as a leak in a heating pipe under a floor, a malfunctioning boiler or HVAC, or a slow leak in a wall. 

Tell mold to pack its bags

Household cleaners such as bleach will clean the area but it won’t kill the mold. Often, mold is cleared and it grows back. 

To prevent reoccurrence, you need to find and isolate the leak, and you might need help from a plumber. You might also need to think about the ventilation and insulation of the room. 

Insurance claims – are you covered?

Many insurance companies don’t cover mold that grows as a result of something that was preventable such as water leakage, flooding, or high humidity, and they expect the homeowner to take precautions. How the escaped water got into your home may be a deciding factor in whether your home insurance will cover the damage. Some insurers try to exclude coverage for mold contamination that occurred as a result of long-term leakage. 

It’s time to check the small print because mold is covered in some policies and not others. Look through your policy for the list of perils and exclusions. 

If you’re battling an insurance company for coverage and your claim is being delayed, denied, underpaid, the team at Jenkins Law PL is happy to help. Our insurance claim lawyer in Florida knows how to get you the maximum on your insurance claim.