After the floods, mold is a growing problem

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After the floods, mold is a growing problem

The MetroWest Daily News*

By Charlie Breitrose/Daily News staff

GHS

Posted Sep 06, 2008

http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/x625395089/After-the-floods-

mold-is-a-growing-problem

With the remnants of Hurricane Hanna hitting Massachusetts this

weekend, some area homeowners may find themselves facing a basement

filled with water or a leaking roof, either of which could lead to

the growth of harmful mold.

Quick action must be taken to prevent the growth of the spores, said

Hopkinton's Seltzer, who has been in the business of cleaning

carpets and dealing with flooded basements and such situations for

three decades.

" The first 48 hours are critical, " Seltzer said. " If your basement

is wet, the first thing you want to do is to get as much of the

water out as possible, and get a professional in with a moisture

meter. "

According to the federal Environmental Protection Agency, molds can

cause allergies, be an irritant and even be toxic and lead to death.

, who works with ATA Fire and Flood Restoration in

lin and has 23 years experience, said he sees a lot of people

who wait to take action.

" I saw it with the storm that just went through, a couple weeks ago.

A lot of people sit and wait and not do anything about it when water

comes into their house, " said. " They wait a week or so and

have another problem, that's mold. "

Mold will not start forming for two days, but when it does, it can

be tough to find and costly to remove.

Friday, Seltzer put the finishing touches on a mold removal project

in a home in Sudbury. The carpet of the finished basement had been

removed, and the bottom couple feet of dry wall had been ripped out

to get inside the wall.

Seltzer spent a few days drying the basement with industrial

dehumidifiers, and cleaned the air with HEPA filters to remove

spores in the air.

He removed the water-damaged drywall and scrubbed other surfaces

with a biowash that kills the mold.

" People are under the misconception that bleach kills mold. That's

not the case, " Seltzer said. " Biowash breaks the shell of the mold

spores so they can't grow. "

Before he closes up a wall or finishes with a wooden frame, Seltzer

tests the inside of the wood to make sure the inside and outside are

dry.

Finally, the affected areas must be sealed so moisture cannot get in

again.

Seltzer also recommends hiring a third-party inspector, known as an

industrial hygienist, to make sure the job has been done correctly.

said homeowners should keep an eye out for potential areas

where moisture can build.

" If you have growth of mold on house on the outside, nine times out

of 10 there is mold inside, " said.

In some instances, the water does not come from outside the house.

said a small leak from an ice maker in a refrigerator can

start the build up of mold, and sometimes there is no leak at all.

" Last week, I did one job where a bathroom fan goes into the attic

and there is nowhere for it to go, " said. " Mold grew and

you have to sand it down and seal the wood, which is expensive. "

Preventing or cleaning up mold is important for homeowners because

regulations require houses to be mold-free before being sold,

said.

New laws will make it even tougher, Seltzer said, allowing buyers to

back out of deals if a home has ever had a mold problem, Seltzer

said.

Stopping a leak or flood before it occurs is the best way to prevent

mold.

" Twice a year, people should walk around the house and look for

potential problems, " Seltzer said. " Look at the condition of the

roof and see if shingles are missing. Make sure the gutters are

clear and the water sheds away from the house. And make sure the

chimney is attached tight. "

To prevent water getting in a basement, Seltzer said there should be

at least 24 inches of clearance from ground to the the top of the

foundation, as well as to the top of the basement bulkhead.

Not taking precautions could be costly for home owners,

said.

" A lot of it's not covered by insurance, " said. " But it's

expensive and times are tough so that is one of the main things why

they wouldn't (take preventative action). "

(Charlie Breitrose can be reached at 508-626-3964 or

cbreitro@....)