You've got 48 hours after flood to prevent mold; use them wisely

[Guest guest]

Thursday, February 14, 2008

You've got 48 hours after flood to prevent mold; use them wisely

By Bradshaw

Poughkeepsie Journal*

http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/articleAID=/20080214

/BUSINESS/802140335

There was a refrigerator floating in 4 feet of water in a Hyde Park

home.

This was the most severe phone call Mike Hogan received Wednesday.

He owns First Call Water Damage and Structural Drying in Stormville.

By late afternoon, about 75 people contacted him about flooded

basements.

However, he said there was not much he could do.

Hogan said until the water subsides and the ground is able to

absorb water again, it doesn't make much sense to pump water out of

homes.

" There's really nowhere for it to go, " he said. " There are swimming

pools where lawns should be. "

Hogan's advice was to wait for some of the flooding to subside.

Then pump the water out from the basement slowly. He said pumping

water too fast could cause pressure to build up inside the basement,

and that could collapse the walls.

Typically, you have 48 hours before mold becomes a problem, he

said. Try to get your basements dry as soon as possible.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests:

n Use fans, air-conditioning units and dehumidifiers.

n Wear protective clothing during cleanup.

n Any items that cannot be washed should be discarded.

n Saturated drywall and insulation should also be thrown out.

n Disinfect all hard surfaces, including flooring, concrete,

molding, wood, appliances, sinks and plumbing fixtures with hot

water and dish or laundry soap.

The Environmental Protection Agency warns that failure to remove

contaminated materials and to reduce moisture and humidity can

present serious long-term health risks.

Standing water and wet materials are a breeding ground for viruses,

bacteria and mold, which cause disease, trigger allergic reactions

and continue to damage materials long after the flood, according to

the agency.

Reach Bradshaw at sbradshaw@... or 845-437-

4811.