Texas Flooding

At the beginning of February 2021, DFW apartment and housing complexes started posting lawn signs and sending out neighborhood alerts saying, “Don’t forget to keep your homes above 65 degrees!” and “Make sure to let your sinks drip throughout the day!” It was a gentle reminder to take preventative measures to avoid pipes freezing and bursting during the frigid weather that was predicted to hit the DFW area in the upcoming weeks. 

The last time the DFW area saw a true snowstorm was February of 2011. Some might remember images of AT&T stadium packed with fans and with snow as Packers and Steelers fans tried to avoid falling snow and ice from the roof as they crowded their way inside, ignoring the national weather services’ advice to avoid driving on the roads that had not been properly set with de-icing measures. This past February, Texas found themselves in a similar situation. Although there was no football game to risk the roads for, people found themselves trapped in homes that like the roads, were not designed to handle regular freezes.  

Texans were faced with the options of possibly having their pipes freeze, which hadn’t been a serious concern in 10 years, or racking up an egregious water bill. As a result, and not to their fault, many chose to keep their homes warm, and their faucets closed in hopes that warmer temperatures inside would prevent the pipes from bursting. Unfortunately, that only caused an overloading of the Texas power grids and leaving a record number of Texans without power for days on end. The result? 9 million dollars’ worth of flooding damage in Dallas alone. To put that into perspective, according to Flood Factor, Dallas accumulated 9.5 million dollars in flood damage collectively over the last thirty years. Thirty years! In five months, one of most central hubs of the United States accumulated almost as much money in flood damages as it has in thirty years- and that’s only one city. The entire state of Texas was affected by this power crisis. 

So, what does this tragedy have to do with RealTime Labs? As one of the leading mold and mycotoxin experts in the United States, we are here to remind Texans that just because you repaired your pipes and dried out your furniture, it doesn’t mean there isn’t still a hidden threat to your home that could cost you thousands of dollars more if left untreated. Mold can’t always be seen. It is often hidden in places that you have never seen yourself like behind your walls or under your carpets. After all the tragedies and losses that Texans have had to occur because of things out of our control, something you can take control of is making sure that your home doesn’t get infested with mold. 

Realtime Laboratories offers comprehensive EMMA (Environmental Mold and Mycotoxin Assessment) testing that could help keep your family safe from deadly toxins. The EMMA test uses sensitive molecular detection technology to look for the presence of 10 of the most toxigenic molds. It determines their presence and determines their relative abundance. EMMA also tests directly for 16 of the most poisonous Mycotoxins using its patented Mycotoxin detection test.

The test is simple and quick, just requiring a sample of your A/C or heating filter, or a swab of an area you suspect could be contaminated. We will have your results sent back to you with an interpretation guide within ten days of receiving the specimens. If you want to learn more about how our tests can save you thousands of dollars in damages and repairs, feel free to explore our website or reach out at marketing@realtimelab.com. 

“Flood Risk Is Increasing for Dallas.” Flood Factor, floodfactor.com/city/dallas-texas/4819000_fsid#historic_flooding.