Mold Often Follows Water Damage from Burst Frozen Pipes

CHATSWORTH, Calif. - Jan. 5, 2015 - PRLog -- During the chilly months of January and February, pipes may freeze and burst in any type of building.  Each year, this type of water damage results in billions of dollars in property damages.

With extreme cold weather, or if a structure is having problems with its heating system during the winter months, pipes are susceptible to freezing.  As water freezes it expands and can put tremendous pressure on both metal and plastic pipes.  If a pipe does break, many supply lines can easily release hundreds of gallons or more of water each day.  This water will gradually make its way to the lowest area it can reach.  This means a burst pipe on a second floor can cause water damage not only to that level of the property, but also to the floor below and the basement or crawl space.

Along with the destruction caused by broken pipes to building materials and furnishing, mold can also quickly begin to grow on wet and damp materials.  The presence of mold can impact the indoor air quality (IAQ) for anyone in the home or building.  It can cause everything from allergies and hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) to triggering asthma in those with the condition.  Some types of mold are even known to cause infections in people with a weakened immune system.

“In addition to concerns over the presence of mold in a building that has suffered damage due to a burst pipe, many older properties still contain asbestos and lead-based paints that can be an issue for anyone in the area during cleanup and repair activities,” said Franco Seif, President of Clark Seif Clark.  “At CSC, we offer testing and consulting services to help residential and commercial buildings quickly and safely resolve any concerns following water damage due to burst pipes or any other type of water damaging event.  These services help to ensure that both building occupants and those tasked with repairing water damage are not exposed to materials that could impact their health.”

CSC recently sponsored an educational video about frozen pipes and how to prevent water damage and mold growth that can be seen at: http://youtu.be/2COWOL40RkQ.



To learn more about this or other environmental, health and safety issues, please visit www.csceng.com, email csc@csceng.com or call (800) 807-1118.

About Clark Seif Clark

CSC was established in 1989 to help clients in both public and private sectors address IAQ and environmental health and safety (EH&S) issues. CSC is a leading provider of these services with multiple offices along the western seaboard and southwest. The company believes in science-based protocols and has a strong background in engineering, making them the preferred environmental consultants to industrial clients, healthcare facilities, architects, schools, builders, contractors, developers and real estate professionals.