Are you living in one of the states that has recently experienced some strong storms? There is potential that the rain and moisture could have created mold in your home. Mold is not always covered by a homeowners insurance policy. Here are some tips about how to deal with mold and mildew.
A typical homeowners policy may not cover damages that are due to mold damage. It is advisable to let your insurance company know as soon as you discover that your home has experienced any kind of water damage. Your insurer might be willing to cover the damages caused by water, if you take care of them as soon as possible. Part of the reason is because they want to avoid having to pay for a mold claim later on.
Many insurers have placed exclusions for mold damage into their homeowners insurance policies. Others will make it more difficult for consumers to receive a pay-out on a mold claim. It is advisable that you take a close look at your homeowners policy to find out exactly what is covered, and what is not. Don’t just assume that a mold claim will be covered.
Overall, it is best that you do what you can to avoid allowing mold and mildew to grow. Insurance Journal has some tips about how to effective clean up mold and mildew. In general, what you want to do is clean up, disinfect, and dry out all areas that are affected by mold and mildew. Sometimes, using a little bleach can be helpful. However, make sure that you don’t use soap that contains ammonia if you are using bleach. That mix can create toxic fumes.
Bag up and dispose things that have moldy residue, (such as cleaning rags, paper, and debris). It is possible to clean and disinfect hard-surfaced materials. You should ventilate the area that you will be cleaning the mold and mildew out of. It is a good idea to wear a mask while you work in order to prevent yourself from breathing in the mold.
My husband and I had a puddle on the floor that caused a small amount of water damage. We called our homeowners insurance company immediately. The insurer sent out a repair crew that used a moisture meter to determine if there was any moisture collected underneath the panels of our walls. Fortunately, there was very little.
A little later, we hired a carpenter to come in and fix the affected areas of the wall. He removed the portion that was moist, and replace it with new, dry, materials. He used a little bleach inside the walls to help prevent any mold that might have been hiding there from growing.
Image by Anne Hornyak on Flickr