CENTRAL JERSEY: Residents cautioned to mold dangers

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CENTRAL JERSEY: Residents cautioned to mold dangers

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Bridgewater Courier News - Bridgewater,NJ

One of the worst effects of water damage comes in the form of mold.

Following severe floods, mold may develop, causing serious health

problems. Residents are urged to proceed with caution when cleaning

up mold, said officials at the New Jersey Office of Emergency

Management and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal

Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Although mold is a naturally existing substance, it can be harmful

to humans. When airborne mold spores are present in large

quantities, they can cause allergic reactions, asthma episodes,

infections and other respiratory problems. Continued exposure to

mold may result in nasal or sinus congestion, eye, nose, or throat

irritations and adverse effects to the nervous system.

All materials are likely to become moldy if they are wet for long

enough. Evaluate the condition of all items in a flooded area. Wood

furniture and other porous materials can trap mold and may need to

be thrown away. Harder materials such as glass, plastic and metal

can be cleaned and disinfected. Carpeting can be a problem since

drying it out does not remove mold spores. Carpets with heavy mold

may have to be discarded.

The secret to preventing problems is cleaning, disinfecting and

drying all wet surfaces as soon as possible. Specialists offer the

following suggestions to ensure safe, effective cleanup:

* Open windows for ventilation and wear rubber gloves for cleaning.

* Wash all areas and washable items that came in contact with

floodwaters with an ammonia-free soap or detergent.

* Rinse thoroughly and disinfect the area with a dilute solution of

10-percent household bleach (one and one-quarter cups of bleach in

one gallon of water). Never use bleach with ammonia.

* Dry the cleaned areas for several days. Raising the temperature

and using fans or dehumidifiers will help.

After cleaning, you may still have mold odors. It is possible for

mold to hide in walls or behind wall coverings. It is important to

find all mold sources and properly clean them.

Materials that cannot be cleaned, such as drywall, fiberglass and

cellulose insulation, should be removed and discarded. Then clean

the wall studs, where wallboard has been removed, and allow the area

to dry completely.

Drying your home could take several weeks. While it may seem that

your house is safe from mold, your health may still be at risk

because of the lingering effects of mold. When water damage

infiltrates a structure, the long lasting effects can be detrimental

to the composition of the building. If you believe that your health

has been affected by exposure to mold, you should contact your

physician and also have your house checked for mold.

For more information about mold, call the FEMA helpline at (800) 621-

FEMA (3362) or TTY(800) 462-7585 for the speech or hearing impaired.

Aso call the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) at

(800) CDC-INFO.

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