If your home or business has encountered water damage, it only takes hours for mold and mildew to find its way onto your walls. If the mold and mildew is left untreated, it will continue to multiply and grow throughout the residence. Within a period anywhere between 48 and 94 hours, your home or business will start to experience the secondary effects of water damage and the consequences that come about when you wait too long to do something about it. So the best thing is not to delay at all.

Basically, water damage can be quite progressive. This means that it is going to get worse the longer you wait to treat it. It is true that the majority of water damage occurs when it comes into the home. It ravages your belongings and everything within its path. It is the secondary effects of water damage that makes your home uninhabitable.

Here are the stages of water damage that you should know about so that you know what you're facing:

* In 1 to 6 hours, all of the absorbent materials in your home such as carpet, padding, drywall, and furniture cushions will absorb the water. The type of water is what is going to determine if the items are salvageable. Water damage can be caused by clean, gray, or black water.

* In 6 to 24 hours, mold and mildew will begin to grow depending on what types of contaminants are in the water. Harmful bacteria and other microorganisms may grow as well as a result of the water damage.

* In 24 to 72 hours, the water damage really begins to take a toll on furniture and the structural integrity of the home. This is the timeframe in which a lot of your furniture and other personal belongings may not survive water damage.

* In 72 hours or more, the water damage becomes even worse because even clean water becomes severely contaminated. Over time, the bacteria content in the water grows and grows. The levels are so high that all items that have encountered water damage must be removed from the home. Everything touched by the water must be removed and thrown away. Mold and mildew is ravaging everywhere that has had water damage. It is probably already visible in some places. After a week of water damage occurring, the mold spores are overtaking your ventilation system. This can cause respiratory problems while in the home.

This proves what water damage can do to you and your home if left untreated. It is true that there are some situations in which you cannot access the home to take care of the water damage. This is in extreme situations, though. You want to try to get to your home as soon as possible so that you can take care of the water damage and avoid many of the secondary effects of it. Water damage is very severe and the most destructive to a home next to fire. Don't let water damage ruin your life.