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How to Combat Mold in a Flooded House
Before you rebuild or restore your water-damaged home, take these steps to keep mold at bay
From the Houzz archives
Hurricanes leave a soggy breeding ground for mold in its wake, and this can cause serious health problems for residents of flooded homes. As a first step, “any structural or building material that got wet has to be removed from inside the house,” says Mike Belk, a flood and mold specialist certified by the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC). Then everything must be thoroughly dried out and any mold-contaminated materials must be removed before new construction can begin. If your home has been soaked by floods, here’s what to do.
Hurricanes leave a soggy breeding ground for mold in its wake, and this can cause serious health problems for residents of flooded homes. As a first step, “any structural or building material that got wet has to be removed from inside the house,” says Mike Belk, a flood and mold specialist certified by the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC). Then everything must be thoroughly dried out and any mold-contaminated materials must be removed before new construction can begin. If your home has been soaked by floods, here’s what to do.
Get rid of all mold. Mold is the biggest concern with waterlogged homes; it can grow within 48 hours of water contact. Belk adds that in perfect conditions, mold can actually grow in as little as 24 hours.
If mold is present but the affected area is less than 10 square feet, it can be removed safely by applying the general water damage techniques mentioned above. "But for something like a waterlogged house from floodwater, homeowners should contact professionals after the storm's cleared out, no matter how small they think the damage is," says Belk. "If the damage is minor, an ethical company can recommend simple DIY procedures and the use of a mild detergent for affected surfaces. A good anti-microbial broad-spectrum sanitizer should be used when mold is present."
Whether you have flood insurance and you're waiting for a professional to assess and work on your home, or you think you'd like to do some damage control yourself, it's best to:
If mold is present but the affected area is less than 10 square feet, it can be removed safely by applying the general water damage techniques mentioned above. "But for something like a waterlogged house from floodwater, homeowners should contact professionals after the storm's cleared out, no matter how small they think the damage is," says Belk. "If the damage is minor, an ethical company can recommend simple DIY procedures and the use of a mild detergent for affected surfaces. A good anti-microbial broad-spectrum sanitizer should be used when mold is present."
Whether you have flood insurance and you're waiting for a professional to assess and work on your home, or you think you'd like to do some damage control yourself, it's best to:
- Prevent new water from coming in.
- Get rid of the water that's in your home already. "You can buy wet-dry vacuums, sump pumps, even a mop and a bucket combo — do what you can to get rid of the water before the professionals come," Belk says. "It could make a huge difference in staving off more damage and mold."
- Ventilate. Keep your windows open for as long as you can, day and night. Turn fans toward the walls and reposition them throughout the day so the walls dry evenly. Keep the fans on 24/7 so that air can circulate through to the drywall.
- Move items away from the walls. Move saturated rugs, furniture and other items outside of the home to air dry. "I highly recommend that people not just move but discard any item that's been contaminated by the floodwater. It could carry an incredible amount of bacteria and cause health problems in the long run," says Belk.
A note on bleach. Builder Brian Rigney says homeowners get mixed signals about bleach. “Bleach may be good for nonporous surfaces, but it doesn’t permeate into wood, tile, Sheetrock, carpet or concrete. Professional steps should be taken to ensure the home is safe and mold free,” says Rigney, who often recommends clients to restoration specialists in his area.
Taylor agrees that bleach is not a long-term solution. “Only trained professionals can tell you if the mold levels or ecology in your home is roughly the same as it is outside of your home, because oftentimes mold exists on a microbial level.”
What indoor environmental professionals do. An indoor environmental professional — sometimes referred to as an industrial hygienist — works with the restoration specialist on sanitizing, drying and testing affected areas. “We all work on the affected areas in a negative air chamber so mold spores are contained,” Belk says. “All moldy surfaces are then treated with an antimicrobial agent; after, a HEPA filter removes impurities that may have been launched into the air.”
Homeowner Mary Kozma found mold growing in her Massachusetts basement after it flooded. “Restoration specialists came in to inspect and treat the walls properly before we did any work on the basement,” she says, adding that restoration work was not something that she and her builder-husband wanted to do themselves.
A hurricane’s aftermath is as much a health issue as it is a rebuilding issue, Taylor says. “No matter how small the damage is, I really think that now is not the time to do it yourself. Seek professionals with the training and experience to identify moisture sources, evaluate mold growth, contain damage, remove contamination and dry materials to ensure that mold will not return.”
More: Read other stories about recovering after a hurricane or other disaster
Taylor agrees that bleach is not a long-term solution. “Only trained professionals can tell you if the mold levels or ecology in your home is roughly the same as it is outside of your home, because oftentimes mold exists on a microbial level.”
What indoor environmental professionals do. An indoor environmental professional — sometimes referred to as an industrial hygienist — works with the restoration specialist on sanitizing, drying and testing affected areas. “We all work on the affected areas in a negative air chamber so mold spores are contained,” Belk says. “All moldy surfaces are then treated with an antimicrobial agent; after, a HEPA filter removes impurities that may have been launched into the air.”
Homeowner Mary Kozma found mold growing in her Massachusetts basement after it flooded. “Restoration specialists came in to inspect and treat the walls properly before we did any work on the basement,” she says, adding that restoration work was not something that she and her builder-husband wanted to do themselves.
A hurricane’s aftermath is as much a health issue as it is a rebuilding issue, Taylor says. “No matter how small the damage is, I really think that now is not the time to do it yourself. Seek professionals with the training and experience to identify moisture sources, evaluate mold growth, contain damage, remove contamination and dry materials to ensure that mold will not return.”
More: Read other stories about recovering after a hurricane or other disaster
Belk is based in San Diego but has already been contacted by a New Jersey homeowner and her contractor, as flooding restoration professionals in the hurricane zone area are neck deep in assessments. "We talked about how to dry everything that was water damaged," he says. "We frequently advise, work with and rent out our high-efficiency fans and dehumidifiers to contractors."
Remove all water-contaminated items. Drywall, insulation, carpeting, wood flooring, cabinetry — any wet item has to be removed. "If only a few things got wet and you're doing things yourself without a professional, then you can salvage something like furniture, but I wouldn't recommend it," says Belk. "If it got wet, it's been contaminated with floodwater coming from the Hudson — and who knows what else it's brought with it."
Taylor says seeing homeowners on TV going into houses with water up to their knees terrifies him. "You can get hepatitis, tetanus, E. coli from floodwater," he says. "If you really must go into floodwater, wear protective gear from head to toe: nonpierceable gloves, masks, goggles, overalls. Make sure that you don't have any cuts or open wounds, and take a shower immediately after."
Dry, dry, dry. After contaminated objects and structural and building materials have been removed by licensed professionals, it's time to introduce drying equipment such as high-powered fans and dehumidifiers. "Insurance companies will also want HEPA [High-Efficiency Particulate Air] filters there for mold remediation," Belk says. "The drying and air-filtering equipment should be on until the moisture content of the remaining material — the framing, the subfloors, whatever is left — comes below the dry standard."
A home's dry standard differs per city and state. Most coastal homes already have a relatively high moisture content, but you generally want to have less than 16 percent moisture content in your home, Belk says.