Mold After A Disaster

2/5/2018 (Permalink)

Picture this: Your home or business is affected by a storm, whether the roof suffered a structural issue, or you had flooding from excess water coming in.  You fix the hole in the roof and dry the water yourself, and life continues as normal.  A couple months down the road, you find mold where the storm had previously had damaged your building. 

Make sure this doesn’t happen.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has some great info about how to prevent mold after a storm hits your home or business.

After natural disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes, and floods, excess moisture and standing water contribute to the growth of mold in homes and other buildings. When returning to a home that has been flooded, be aware that mold may be present and may be a health risk for your family.

Clean up and dry out the building quickly (within 24 to 48 hours - SERVPRO of Westport Fairfield can help with this). Open doors and windows. Use fans to dry out the building. Position fans to blow air out doors or windows.

 Remove all porous items that have been wet for more than 48 hours and that cannot be thoroughly cleaned and dried. These items can remain a source of mold growth and should be removed from the home. Porous, noncleanable items include carpeting and carpet padding, upholstery, wallpaper, drywall, floor and ceiling tiles, insulation material, some clothing, leather, paper, wood, and food. Removal and cleaning are important because even dead mold may cause allergic reactions in some people.

To prevent mold growth, clean wet items and surfaces with detergent and water.