As a Louisiana resident who has had a lot of storm/water damage as of late, I very respectfully beg to differ.
Taking up the floor, and mopping with a bleach solution, is the only way you can make SURE you killed the mold spores. There is no way you can determine what is under the linoleum unless you pull it up, and it is better safe than sorry. My husband and I steam cleaned our carpet and put an air purifier in the room for a day...when the smell didn't go away, it dawned on us that it was in the padding. Sure enough, it was. We replaced the padding, and eliminated a stinky, smelling mess, for only $30. Well worth it, if you have lived for mildew smell for even a day, you can understand.
I would call my insurance agent...they will send an adjustor out who will give you detailed instructions on how to best handle the problem.
Your homeowners insurance will pay for the damage the water leak caused, but it WILL NOT pay for further damages sustained from NOT taking care of the problem. EX: you don't remove the walls, or the floor, and you develop mold, which can cause even MORE damage, and be deadly. You could end up with a house that is unlivable, and without insurance compensation. I know it is an extreme, but it can, and has happened. |