FEMA Offers Advice On Mold After Flooding

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FEMA Offers Advice On Mold After Flooding

Tuesday, Apr 15, 2008

KARK Little Rock*

http://arkansasmatters.com/content/fulltext/?cid=68696

If your home was affected by the recent flooding it may be harboring

mold. Mold can be a significant problem after flooding and proper

cleanup is critical to ensure that it does not affect you or your

family's health. People sensitive to mold may experience a stuffy

nose, irritated eyes, skin irritation, difficulty breathing or

shortness of breath. People with asthma, pregnant women, infants,

the elderly and individuals with compromised immune systems are at

higher risk for health problems from mold. If you or your family

members have health problems after exposure to mold, contact your

doctor or other health care provider. To prevent or stop the growth

of mold after a flood, all areas of a home that were wet in the

floodwaters must be cleaned and completely dried. Mold can start to

grow within 48 hours. Discard all moldy carpeting and any porous

materials such as books, clothing, bedding or furniture that already

smells of mold or is visibly growing mold. Remember, when in doubt,

throw it out. Once a house has a mold problem, all areas of the home

must be checked, cleaned and dried including air ducts and basement

crawl spaces. To prevent further mold growth, seal all leaks in

roofs, walls or pipes that bring excess moisture into the house.

Discard all moldy drywall, ceiling tiles and wet insulation. Keep

receipts from the cleaning process since disaster assistance may be

available to help with cleaning costs. To clean away mold already

growing on hard surfaces, use commercial products, soap and water,

or a bleach solution of no more than 1 cup of bleach per one gallon

of water. Use a stiff brush on rough surface materials such as

concrete. Always open windows and doors while working with bleach to

provide fresh air and wear non-porous gloves and protective eyewear

during the cleaning process. Never mix bleach with ammonia or other

household cleaners. Mixing bleach with other cleaning products will

produce dangerous, toxic fumes so always follow the manufacturer's

instructions when using cleaning products. Damage to a home from

flooding may be so extensive that it may seem easier to hire a

contractor or cleaning service to help with flood damage cleanup.

When hiring a contractor, use extra care in the hiring process and

make sure they have experience cleaning up mold. Whenever possible,

deal with trained and experienced professionals in your own

community. These are business people with a local reputation to

protect and can be held accountable for their work. Avoid offers

that seem to good to be true.

For more information on mold and mold cleanup, the Environmental

Protection Agency provides a comprehensive description on the

dangers of mold and how to clean and disinfect a mold-damaged home

on its web page. Mold resources are available at

www.epa.gov/mold/moldresources.html.