Residents of both Texas and Florida are working to clean up their homes after flooding brought on by two powerful hurricanes. Once water enters your home and you are unable to dry it out within 24 hours, it is safe to assume that your home contains mold growth and now you will need to take measures to remediate. The following article contains helpful information from the EPA on how to cleanup your home after water damage.
Once professionals have checked your home and determined that it is safe for you to re-enter, your main priority is drying out your home and removing water damaged items. Depending on how long the water sat in your home, you may be able to see or smell signs of active mold growth. Mold may also be growing in spots that you can’t see, such as behind walls and under carpeting. Remove any standing water with a wet vac and get rid of any wet materials.
Make sure that you take photos of the damage to your home and contact your insurance provider. You will want to wear protective equipment when dealing with mold. Purchase goggles, gloves, and a N- 95 or better respirator to protect your skin, eyes, and respiratory tract from exposure to mold.
When working inside of your home, it is important to open windows and doors to allow for ventilation. Open closet and cabinet doors so that air can circulate to these areas as well during the process of drying out your home. Use dehumidifiers to remove moisture from the air but avoid using fans as they may spread mold particles throughout your home.
Some jobs are just to big too tackle on your own and people who are elderly or that suffer from allergies or asthma should not expose themselves to mold even for short periods of time. There are numerous remediation companies that you can hire to professionally rid your home of mold and clean up after a flood. Contact a local mold inspection and remediation service if you are unable to tackle the job on your own.
Finally, it is always a smart idea to test your home air after you have encountered any type of interior mold issue. This will alert you to the presence of mold in areas you may have missed and provide you with some peace of mind that your home air quality is healthy once again.