Found mold after a leak? What to do first

Step one: stop the water

Mold needs moisture to grow. If the pipe, drain, or fixture that caused the leak is still wet, any cleanup is temporary. Shut off the water at the fixture valve or the main, then call a plumber to find the real source. A stain on the ceiling is rarely directly under the leak, so guessing usually opens the wrong wall.

Step two: take photos before you touch anything

Photograph the mold, the water damage, the leak once it is found, and the repair. Keep the plumber's invoice. Insurance adjusters decide claims on whether the cause was sudden (a burst pipe) or long-term (a slow drip), and the plumber's write-up is usually the document that settles it.

Step three: call your insurer early

Many homeowners policies cover water damage and some mold cleanup, but cap the mold portion and require prompt reporting. Call before anything is torn out. Ask what documentation they want and whether they need to send an adjuster first.

Step four: decide if it is a cleanup or a remediation

A patch of surface mold on tile or a painted hard surface, smaller than a few square feet, can be cleaned with detergent and dried. Mold on drywall, wood, insulation, carpet, or inside a cabinet is a remediation job: the material has to come out, the area has to be contained so spores do not spread, and the space has to be dried to normal moisture readings and verified.

• Clean it yourself: small spot, hard surface, no musty smell, no history of leaks
• Call for remediation: larger than a few square feet, on drywall or wood, smell that lingers, or it keeps coming back
• Call right away: sewage was involved, or anyone in the house has asthma or breathing symptoms

Why the plumber should be the first call

A remediation company treats the mold. A plumber treats what caused it. If you call remediation first, they will tell you to get the leak fixed before they start, and you have lost a day. One Hour Plumbing Service does both in one call: Mickey finds and fixes the leak, then coordinates a certified mold remediation partner for the removal and restoration. You get one point of contact and a dry house before anyone starts cutting drywall.