Microbial Growth on Contents After Water Damage

2/19/2019 (Permalink)

The mold in this photo started growing after this end table was left in a water damaged basement for a week while the homeowner was out of town.

Microorganisms can grow very quickly in the right environment. One microorganism you might be familiar with is mold, which can grow into very large colonies on a variety of surfaces. There are hundreds of different species of mold and each has its own preferred environment. Most like warm, wet environments, but you can have microbial growth even in colder climates like your refrigerator!

Just like mold can survive in a variety of temperatures, it can also survive on a variety of surfaces. Some mold grows best on materials such as drywall and carpet, others grow best on fruits and food like bread. Most are not very picky and will make due with what they can get. The mold in this photo started growing after this end table was left in a water damaged basement for a week while the homeowner was out of town.