For homeowners in Western North Carolina, moisture is a big issue. Our area gets a lot of rain and a lot of humidity, and that can lead to problems with water damage and mold. So, what’s a homeowner to do? It’s a tricky question, and one that’s often best left to the professionals – we sat down with Diana Holmes of 1-800 Water Damage of WNC to find out more. Holmes, who has been in business since 2010, is all too familiar with the havoc that water damage can wreak on a home. In fact, it’s how she got started in the business – on Christmas day of 2009, her family’s basement flooded. Holmes didn’t know what to do or who to call, so she did what most of us do – she Googled it. Ultimately, she had a less-than-satisfactory
Holmes, who has been in business since 2010, is all too familiar with the havoc that water damage can wreak on a home. In fact, it’s how she got started in the business – on Christmas day of 2009, her family’s basement flooded. Holmes didn’t know what to do or who to call, so she did what most of us do – she Googled it. Ultimately, she had a less-than-satisfactory experience and decided to start her own company and provide a better service to people who, like her, need help and don’t know where to start.
Ever since business has been booming. “We’ve had steady growth year after year,” Holmes says, attributing this in large part to the fact that 1-800 Water Damage of WNC prides itself on honesty and trustworthiness in an industry that can sometimes be less than ethical. Holmes and her company set out to provide their customers with accurate information and solid advice, whether that means that the homeowner does business with them or addresses the problem on their own.
Of course, addressing the problem isn’t as easy as just cleaning up the water or scrubbing off some mold – first you have to identify the source of the problem, and that’s where professionals like Holmes come in. “For us, whether it’s a mold remediation or a water damage situation, we figure out where the water’s coming from, where the moisture’s coming from,” says Holmes. “You’ve got to fix the source first, and then you can go about remediating the underlying symptoms.”
While that source can sometimes be the excessive rain that our area is prone to, more often than not it comes from plumbing and appliance malfunctions. In fact, Holmes estimates that 98% of the water damage her company sees comes from one of these two sources. “Appliances have shelf lives; they aren’t built to last forever,” she says. Two of the most common issues are rusty water heaters and leaky ice makers on fridges. These can both be chronic issues resulting in deep underlying damage, as a small leak may not be noticed right away.
Mold is another major issue that 1-800 Water Damage of WNC sees a lot of, but it isn’t always a problem. According to Holmes, almost every property has a certain amount of mold. “Fungi growth,” as she refers to it, is present in a large number of crawl spaces and basements, and doesn’t necessarily have to be a deal breaker. There are a few conditions that have to be met for mold to grow – a temperature between 68 and 86 degrees, an organic source of food, and moisture – and by taking away at least one of these things you can stifle the growth of mold in your home.
But what if you aren’t able to identify the source, or can’t resolve the issue once you’ve identified it? That’s when you call in the pros. But don’t call just anyone – make sure that the company you’re working with is reputable and knowledgeable.
To learn more about water damage and mold remediation, or to find out about working with 1-800 Water Damage of WNC, visit them online at 1800waterdamage.com/north-carolina/wnc or give them a call at 828-398-4027!
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