Translating…
Last year I attended the beautiful wedding of the daughter of one of my friends. Everything appeared to be idyllic. After the honeymoon, the couple returned to the suburbs of a large metropolitan city where they had purchased a new home. It was a lovely two-story home, and since they both had wonderful jobs, they were able to decorate it in a charming, comfortable way which suited their taste perfectly. My friend fairly beamed when she spoke of them, and it seemed as if their marriage had almost a fairy tale beginning. As a special surprise for them while they were on their honeymoon, my friend went to their home and delivered a special piece of family heirloom furniture that she knew her daughter loved. All seemed perfect during the summer.
That winter the couple decided to go on a ski vacation far away from home. They would be leaving their lovely home unattended for several weeks. What they didn’t know was that the water pipes in the upstairs bathroom had burst. It began to flood the entire downstairs area. When they returned from their vacation, the entire first floor of their home had been destroyed. Water was standing everywhere and flowing out the doors and garage opening. The humidity within the walls had caused dangerous mold to grow. All the furniture downstairs was ruined. The drywall had to be removed and replaced. The structure of the home was not even safe enough for them to sleep in the upstairs bedroom. Fortunately, they had wisely bought insurance to cover water damage to their home, and the work of rebuilding and restoring the home began almost immediately. This is a very heart-breaking story because our homes represent our most important investment, and let’s face it, far more than just money.
Fortunately, the couple’s insurance covered more than just the flood and also included the remediation of the mold that had began growing. It takes just 48 hours for mold spores to begin growing in a moist environment such as this one. Even if you cannot physically see mold growing, a mold inspection is almost always recommended at the conclusion of the water damage restoration. This will help to ensure that the job was remediated properly with no remaining moist areas in your home. In the case of a leak in your roof, it would be best to wait until after the next rain storm before you schedule the inspection.