A problem with mold or water damage in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, can cause major property damage to your home. Though both issues tend to go hand-in-hand, not everyone understands the differences and dangers of water damage vs. mold problems.

At The Homestar Group, we commit ourselves to water damage restoration and fungal growth prevention and remediation. Our skilled technicians have years of experience dealing with black mold vs. water damage and other types of property damage. Here's what our crew has to say about the similarities, differences, and hazards of mold and water damage. 

What Is Water Damage?

Water damage is the effect of water intrusion. It can be as simple as a brownish stain on drywall or as complex as a major oversaturation of water in construction materials. A stain from a small leak is easy to fix with a coat of paint, but a flood, roof leak, or burst pipe could destroy flooring, drywall, and other materials. 

Professional restoration is the best way to tackle water damage. Skilled technicians will conduct a water damage assessment before implementing the best drying and dehumidification techniques. The water damage crew will restore the property when excess moisture is gone by repairing and replacing affected structures and materials. 

What Is Mold?

Mold is what develops when you don't immediately address water damage. It can take as little as 24 hours for fungal spores to multiply and spread throughout the affected areas. Within three weeks, you'll see colonies with the naked eye. 

More than 100,000 mold species grow on carpeting, wood, food, insulation, paper, and more. Though mold can also destroy surfaces like excessive water damage, it also poses health risks and allergy-like symptoms such as:

• Asthma attacks
• Dizziness
• Sneezing
• Rashes
• Headaches
• Eye irritation

Because a mold problem can develop quickly from water damage, it's a good idea to schedule a mold inspection after a flood or a plumbing issue. 

How To Differentiate Mold From Water Damage

Water damage vs. mold similarities might give the impression that they don't have many differences. However, how each type of damage manifests inside a home will tell you what problem you face. 

Appearance

You can have both water damage and mold or one or the other. You can usually tell which is which by how they look on surfaces. 

Water damage comes from prolonged or excessive exposure to moisture. It can leave a reddish-brown stain on light-colored surfaces. Sometimes, the coloring is yellowish. 

On the other hand, mold can be white, green, or black. However, it can change color over time. Fungal colonies usually create a circular speckled pattern and spread wherever moisture and food are present. 

It's easy to assume water stains are black mold if you only recognize the circular patterns that mold and water damage can take. However, you can easily distinguish the two by color. 

Smell

In most cases, you won't smell moisture damage. The exception could be water damage from an unclean water source like a dishwasher or waste removal pipe.

However, mold carries a strong, musty odor that's hard to ignore. It's not the same mildewy smell that stagnant water sometimes has. The microbial volatile organic compounds that mold produces as it multiplies quickly give it a stale, earthy scent. 

It's not uncommon to smell mold before you see it, especially if the moisture damage is behind drywall. 

Texture

Surfaces with mold and water damage won't feel the same. Mold growing on a wall can feel slimy or fuzzy like velvet, depending on whether the colony is growing or dormant. Some mold species have a powdery texture and will flake off when you touch it. 

Building materials with water damage may feel damp and spongy. Painted surfaces can flake, peel, or bubble. Warping, cracking, and bulging is also possible if the water retention is excessive. 

Location

Water damage primarily affects the area where moisture is present. However, microscopic mold spores can spread throughout the house and stick to almost any surface. 

Call The Homestar Group for Help With Mold and Water Damage

If you're a Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, property owner with water damage or mold issues in your home, you can turn to The Homestar Group for reliable, long-term solutions. Instead of choosing between water damage vs. mold removal services, we follow industry-leading moisture remediation and mold remediation procedures to keep customers safe, structurally sound, and looking their best.

As a fully licensed, bonded, and insured restoration company, we go above and beyond in everything we do. Experience superior damage restoration and mold remediation services by calling (678) 928-5377 for an appointment with The Homestar Group or fill out our online contact form on our website.