Toxic Black Mold: A Dangerous Result of Water Damage

It lurks inside walls, behind drywall and under flooring. It’s called toxic black mold and it thrives wherever there is moisture. You may be diligent in keeping obvious areas of your home dry, but what about the places you can’t see? The water that accumulates behind your shower walls, or the moisture that clings to the rafters in your attic: these are all sources of un-checked moisture.

Two of the most common causes of water damage result from plumbing leaks and flooding. When that water is allowed to remain, it can quickly breed mold. Toxic black mold is one particular type of mold that is more serious than others. Health effects of exposure include:

  • Chronic coughing and sneezing
  • Eye, nose and throat irritation
  • Rashes
  • Chronic fatigue
  • Persistent headaches
  • Asthma
  • Lung infections
  • Seizures

Improperly remediated water damage promotes the growth of black mold. If you have recently experienced flooding or a leak, it’s imperative that you have the situation checked out and addressed. Fixing the root of the problem – removing the water source – and then treating and removing the mold, is the only way to ensure it doesn’t come back.

The Solution: Water Damage Restoration

Water damage restoration starts with the initial task of water extraction, whereby powerful pumps are used to remove the water from your flooring, carpets, rugs, or drywall via the use of commercial strength, truck-mounted water removal systems. Water extraction is useful after leaking or flooding from pipes, heavy rains, or sump pump failure.

Next up is the inspection and cleanup phase. Once water extraction has taken place, trained technicians will inspect the structure for signs of mold growth. They will determine the level of moisture saturation, check on the state of your flooring and walls, and remove any materials from the site that can’t be saved, such as damaged carpeting and padding.

Only once the area is thoroughly dried out can it be deemed safe. Removing the standing water without addressing the source is like putting a Band-Aid on a wound. It will happen again and again. So, for instance, if your basement is prone to flooding, install a sump pump. If your pipes are failing, install new pipes. It’s imperative to remove the offending materials as well. You can’t just mop up the water and think everything’s OK. Water is tricky. It gets everywhere – even places you can’t see. Then it hides and waits. Mold grows, and the cycle starts all over again.

To prevent the proliferation of toxic black mold, immediate action by a professional is required.

Contact 1st Class Carpet Cleaning and Restoration

Have you recently experienced flooding or leaking in your home? Call the team at 1st Class Carpet Cleaning and Restoration for an inspection and consultation. Don’t wait. The longer you put off calling a professional, the higher the chance of black mold developing. To schedule an appointment for water damage restoration in Metro Detroit, call us at (248) 491-3088.

I could not be happier with our cleaning service from 1st Class! From my first call, Ginny worked with me to optimize the timing of our cleaning with other work being done, and all communication from there was clear and thorough. Claude and Ginny are genuinely nice people and were a pleasure to work with during the cleaning. They clearly know their stuff and stand behind their work. Results were my formerly bedraggled 9 year old carpets looking brand new and a company I will definitely use again and recommend to others.
Sarah C.
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This Company did a fantastic job on our 30+ year old carpet that just won't wear out! While we were moving furniture back afterward, I noticed a strip in a traffic area that didn't look quite right. When I contacted them, they were back out within a few hours and promptly took care of the issue!
Sue G.
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Awesome company, my furniture looks amazing. They were clean and professional. Also, on time and went right to work!
michele G.
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I saw their google reviews and called them for carpet cleaning. Very professional and the best carpet cleaners I have ever had and very reasonable prices. 😊😊😊
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Very professional, polite, the carpets looked and smelled wonderful!
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I called him on Saturday to clean my couch and my chair and they came out on Sunday and did an awesome job. I will be using this company again
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This company is amazing! I highly recommend them! They were on time and super friendly and did an amazing job! Great experience!
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Team just left moments ago after carpet cleaning. House looks much better already. They got out stuck on stains. Highly recommend them. After using others, they are now our go to carpet cleaning crew.
J. A.
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Are use this company for air duct and dryer vent cleaning services. The team was extremely professional and courteous and informed me of any concerns with my events. I was very happy with the quality of the service and the duration.
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1st Class is exceptional. Extremely responsive, courteous, thorough and on time. Definitely recommend! THANK YOU!
Lindsay G.
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Wow 1st class is their name for a reason. I had the vent cleaning, carpet cleaning and upholstery cleaning services done today. They did such a thorough job in 2.5 hours for a 2500 sqft house, very nice owners (husband/wife) team that show up and WORK. Very satisfied.
Caitlin S.
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Hung up the phone and they were at our front door in minutes. Toilet leaking all over wet carpet.
Chris J.
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My 2 dogs got skunked last night. We cleaned up everything we could ourselves but our main rug i couldnt get the smell out. I called 1st class and HANDS DOWN the FASTEST SERVICE IVE EVER GOTTEN. Lucky for me they live down the road and were here at my house 15 mins later. Totally professional, got rid of the smell and so understanding and helpful.Im passing there information on to all my neighbors and friends because you dont get service like they provide anywhere else!!!Thanks again for everything!!!!
Kyle O.
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Would recommend this company. On time and courteous. Excellent job on my carpet which was extremely dirty looks great now.
Dorothy M.
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They were fabulous! They were early and got some nasty stuff out. Thank you so much.
Laura Y.
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We have a carpet that was the best quality at the time, but is 30 years old. It had so many stains, I was sure they were permanent. The owners showed up with state of the art equipment and 'steam' cleaned, not hot water clean, and got almost every stain and mark out of this old carpet. It honestly looks like new. The only stain remaining was because it was actual wood stain and you have to replace the carpet with that much damage. The steam allows you to walk on the carpet in 6 hours instead of the usual 24. We are selling this house and the carpet was the only sore spot, but not anymore. I will recommend this company to family and friends with a clear conscience.
Tom T.
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