Not all regions of the country have to worry about the tropical storms that have plagued the Southeast this year, but flash floods can happen about anywhere. And when water enters our homes, mold problems are likely to follow.
Mold in the home are a problem because the spores produced by actively growing mold float around in the air where family members breathe them. Also molds and the moisture associated with them can cause structural damage to housing components.
According the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the common health concerns from molds include hay fever-like allergic symptoms. Certain individuals with chronic respiratory disease (chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, asthma) may experience difficulty breathing. Individuals with immune suppression may be at increased risk for infection from molds.
Rule No. 1, in my opinion, should be that you limit your exposure to flood damage. That means you don’t do things like installing expensive carpeting in lower-level rooms that are apt to flood.
You should be aware that your homeowners policy probably does not cover flood damage. Normal insurance covers things like fire and wind damage, but if you live in a flood-prone area you should look into flood insurance, which is available through the federal government.
Flood insurance, which is required in some areas, can be expensive, and its benefits can be limited. For instance, the policies may cover essential components in the basement like furnaces, but they may not cover furniture or electronics kept on a lower level.
If a flood does hit, you must act quickly to dry out things, said Peter Duncanson, the director of training for disaster restoration for ServiceMaster Clean, which has about 4,500 disaster cleanup franchises across the world.
Step one is to get rid of any standing water. If the water is deep enough, you can use a submersible pump to draw in the water and direct it outside or to a working drain. For smaller puddles you can use a wet-dry shop vacuum or a mop and pail.
Remove waterlogged and damaged items such as rugs, furniture and toys. Sometimes sanitary sewers back up during floods, and any items contaminated by untreated sewage will never be completely sanitary again.
If you’re unsure whether flood-damaged furnishings and floor coverings are salvageable, you’ll probably need to call in a professional disaster restoration specialist to make an assessment.
If water gets to insulation behind walls, the insulation may also need to be removed and replaced. In any case, you need to clean all the flooded areas with a disinfectant after they dry.
Fans can help speed the drying process by blowing air out of the wet areas toward your drier rooms. Dehumidifiers are also useful.
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Generally you shouldn’t set the fans to blow air outside unless the outdoor relative humidity is 40 percent or less. If the air is wet outside, opening a door or window will only slow the drying process, Duncanson said.
You can reduce or eliminate damage from the next potential flood by adding a sump pump to your lower level and having your basement drains cleaned each year.
Mold from normal moisture
Even without a flood, it’s possible to build up a serious mold problem in your house if you don’t control moisture. Mold is a simple plant that flourishes in the temperatures found inside houses where it has access to food and water. And food for mold can be anything from soap scums to wallboard liner paper to wooden wall studs.
A few mold spores are always circulating in the air. Even if your house were completely without mold, a few spores would enter every time you opened the door, and those spores would sprout if they found favorable conditions.
Since the 1970s houses have been built more tightly to make them more efficient to heat and cool, but that tightness also means houses tend to retain more moisture. Humidity generated by cooking, showering, drying clothes, etc., can get trapped inside creating moist surfaces ideal for mold growth. That’s why it’s important in a tight house to use exhaust fans when cooking and showering and to vent clothes dryers outside.
It’s also important to control water leaks. If you find mold, check carefully to see if there is a source of water nearby. Faulty plumbing fixtures are sometimes the culprit, but more often the problem is inadequate rainwater drainage outside. Make sure gutters and downspouts are in good repair and that downspouts empty at least a few feet from the foundation.
Mold can be cleaned from surfaces with a solution of four parts water and one part chlorine bleach. Duncanson said, however, that heavy mold infestations on studs or wallboards may require sanding to remove. He said breathing protection is required when mold is sanded, so the job is best left to professionals.