AUSTIN, Texas — Mold inspections are working around the clock after February’s winter storm. After taking care of pipe problems and water damage, many homeowners are calling mold experts to check out potential problems in your home. 

“Next week, the week after, the week after that. If we can’t get dryouts done, it’s going to explode,” Eija Shanks, a mold inspector for Mold Inspection Sciences said while inspecting for mold at a home in Round Rock. “The mold growth is going to increase exponentially.”

Shanks said inspection services are seeing the highest demand since Hurricane Harvey. 

“What we’re kind of comparing this to is a hurricane the size of the state of Texas,” Mike Marshall, chief operating officer said. “It did hit all markets and it’s a moisture-related event.”

Mold Inspection Sciences received a 300-400% increase in calls the week after the storm. Marshall it’s important for homeowners to do their research and make sure you’re hiring a state licensed contractor. If homeowners do get water in their home, try to dry it up as quickly as possible. 

“We were very fortunate. So many people were at hotels and didn’t know their water was leaking,” said Robert Wallace, the owner of the Round Rock home that was being inspected. 

Water leaked into the bedroom and closet of Wallace’s home during the winter storm. 

“I’ll use my moisture meter to determine if it’s actually wet or not,” Shanks said, pulling up carpet in the closet of Wallace’s home. 

The devices like moisture meters and thermal scanners can help detect any potential problems. Once everything is collected, it goes back to the lab, where it’s sampled for mold.