After the storm: Cleaning up mold

[Guest guest]

December 2005

After the storm: Cleaning up mold

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/home-garden/home-

improvement/after-the-storm-cleaning-up-mold-1205/overview.htm

Consumer Reports (subscription) - USA

Mold growing on the ceiling and walls of a house after Hurricane

Katrina.

Photo from National Centers for Disease Control & Prevention

Hurricanes and rainstorms often leave mold and mildew contamination

in their wake, even in communities that aren't directly hit by

hurricane-force, wind-driven rain and storm surges. Mold can grow

out of control wherever buildings retain too much moisture for too

long without drying out, even in arid climates.

Small, isolated patches of mold growing on and around your shower

curtain or bathtub usually aren't a concern. But mold that covers a

large area can aggravate asthma and other respiratory conditions.

Excessive mold can also damage your home by weakening floors, walls,

and ceilings as it feasts on decaying wood and wallboard, ceiling

tiles, caulk, cellulose insulation, and other organic materials.

That means finding and eliminating the moisture that feeds the mold

to prevent it from coming back.

Homes that are severely contaminated or that are cross-contaminated

by hazardous chemicals and bacteria from untreated sewage need to be

stripped down to the framing, disinfected, and rebuilt. This may not

be cost-effective. Some homes may be in such poor condition that

they can never be made habitable and must be torn down.

Insurers aren't making the financial burden any easier. Companies

have sharply reduced or eliminated coverage for mold remediation in

some states because of huge jury verdicts and millions of claims.

While flood-related cleanup is included in most flood insurance, as

well as in some standard policies if caused by a burst pipe or storm-

damaged roof, coverage limits vary widely. Some states require a

separate endorsement on your homeowner's policy.

Even if your home is covered for mold damage, you need to know how

to spot mold contamination and the basics of cleanup to help you get

the most-effective remediation possible. For extensive jobs, you

also need to know how to find a qualified professional.

Suppose you aren't covered for mold damage. You may be able to

handle or at least manage some of the cleanup yourself. In addition

to the information given here, helpful sources of information

include the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency mold fact sheet

(www.epa.gov/mold/index.htm) and the National Centers for Disease

Control and Prevention mold prevention and remediation materials

(www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/mold/protect.asp) and

www.cdc.gov/mold/strats_fungal_growth.htm.