Can Fire Damage Lead To Mold Growth?

1/31/2025 (Permalink)

Soot can cause mold to thrive, as it's an inviting nutrient. Our team can eliminate soot, fire damage, and mold all in one!

Many people commonly associate mold with water damage events or excess humidity. However, these are not the only things that can trigger a mold growth event! In the aftermath of fire damage, mold has the potential to thrive in the chaos. We’ll show you the biggest causes of this phenomenon below:

Water From Fire Hoses

In order for firefighters to put out a fire, they need to use excessive amounts of water from fire hoses. This can leave surfaces damp in the immediate aftermath, which creates the perfect breeding conditions for mold spores.

Burned Materials

Mold doesn’t just need damp or humid conditions to thrive! It also requires a food source, which is where burned organic materials come into play. Burned wooden structures, charred furniture, and even scorched insulation can provide suitable nutrients for mold to thrive.

Soot

There are many different types of soot that appear after fire damage. When this yucky black substance settles on the damp surfaces left over from fire hoses, it creates the perfect storm. Mold grows on damp surfaces and uses the soot around them as nutrients to foster growth.

Fire Restoration & Mold Remediation With SERVPRO

SERVPRO of Greater Hunterdon County can deal with many types of property damage, including fire damage restoration and mold remediation. If we see either of these with your property, we can get to work quickly on making them disappear! Contact our team 24/7 for damage restoration assistance!