There's no such thing as a minor flood. Whether you're dealing with the aftermath of a natural disaster or a major pipe leak, having a large amount of standing water in your home can rapidly cause severe damage. While you'll need to worry about the immediate damage to your home's interior and structure, you also need to consider the potential long-term consequences.

Mold can grow at shocking speed, so you likely have less time than you think to prevent growth following any flood. However, your goal isn't just preventing mold from forming immediately. Instead, it's necessary to stop mold from growing weeks, months, or years into the future. These three essential tips will ensure that your home doesn't become a haven for mold growth.

1. Plan for Demolition

You may not have to do much teardown work if you have only a small amount of standing water on the floor, but larger floods will almost always require some demolition work. Water will seep into drywall and other porous surfaces, eventually migrating to your home's structural elements. Even if the moisture doesn't damage your framing, it can create a perfect environment for mold.

A professional mold prevention service can help you determine how much demolition is necessary, but expect to remove affected portions of drywall at a minimum. You may also have to remove carpets or any saturated sections of flooring. These steps will allow you to fully dry the framing behind your walls, ensuring that it doesn't become a source for future mold growth.

2. Begin Drying Immediately

The most important thing you can do to prevent mold growth both now and in the future is to reduce the amount of moisture in your home quickly. You will almost certainly require professional equipment to dry your home thoroughly after a flood, but that doesn't mean that you can't take steps to help immediately.

If you know you're dealing with clean water, you should do everything possible to minimize the water in your home and dry affected surfaces. However, it's still a good idea to contact a professional mold remediation service as quickly as possible. Your work can provide a head start on the cleanup process, but you'll likely need expert help to finish the job.

3. Consider Mold Treatments

Once you've dried your home, you may want to consider additional methods of future prevention, such as mold-killing primers and sealers. These treatments can help prevent mold on hidden surfaces, such as the framing behind your drywall. While removing moisture is the most important prevention step, mold inhibitors provide an extra layer of protection against future mold growth.

Remember that even a minor flood will inevitably lead to mold growth, and moisture can often find its way into more areas than you might expect. Relying on a professional and experienced service is the best way to keep mold away and stop a flood from turning into an even more severe problem.

Reach out to a local residential mold prevention service to learn more.