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Aside from damage to property, with flood
waters and excess moisture comes a myriad of potentially dangerous health risks. Microorganisms such as bacteria and viruses
can flourish in these wet, contaminated climates, and in the case of standing water, they can go from being waterborne to
airborne very quickly. This is why cleanup and restoration needs begin immediately but also why your health needs to be a
primary concern with any water restoration job.
In the most severe cases, flood waters can spread dangerous diseases such as cholera, typhoid fever or tuberculosis.
Standing water also acts as a breeding ground for mosquitoes, which can spread malaria, as well as a host of bacteria,
including E. coli and salmonella. While health concerns like these are not common or widespread in the floods here in the
U.S., regardless of location, they are very real dangers associated with severe flooding.
By far, the most common problem associated with excess moisture and flooding is mold. Mold is present nearly
everywhere, indoors and outdoors, dormant or actively growing. Though there are beneficial uses of mold, exposure to
mold and mold spores can cause a range of reactions from irritation of the eyes, skin, nose and throat to asthma attacks.
For those with allergies or asthma, this can be a constant irritation at best but, under certain conditions, can
degenerate into a very dangerous situation at worst.
Mold Concerns with Wastewater & Excess Moisture
After a flood, mold can begin to flourish in wet areas in as little as 24 hours. Besides the speed at which mold can grow, what also
makes it such a health risk is that once it begins to grow it rapidly begins producing spores. Mold spores not only cause allergic reactions,
but they are also difficult to eliminate. The spores are hardy and can lie dormant for years until conditions are suitable for growth.
This makes mold spores virtually impossible to eliminate and a challenging task to control.
This all may seem rather glum, but there is a simple solution. As very
simple organisms, any mold need only three things for growth: oxygen, a cellulose based food, and moisture. Eliminate or minimize any one of
those three and mold can be controlled. Since removing all possible cellulose food sources and oxygen from your home is a ridiculous
idea, controlling humidity levels is your best defense against mold. This underlies why it is crucial to dry out and sanitize
flooded areas as soon as possible. Unfortunately, this is also why most things have have sat in severe flood waters must be
discarded. Though something may appear dry, it could still be damp inside and contain mold.
Eliminate & Control Mold Growth
 The
use of a dehumidifier is not only
beneficial during clean up but continued use of a home dehumidifier can
help keep humidity levels down and prevent mold spores from growing. Many dehumidifier models, whether residential, restoration, or
commercial, have built-in humidistats to give you the current relative humidity of an area. Keeping humidity relative humidity levels lower
than 50% can eliminate mold growth and thus reduce the potential for mold related allergic reactions. You can also monitor relative humidity anywhere
in your home or on a restoration site with a digital hygrometer.
These handy devices give you current humidity and temperature readings, and being battery operated, you can take them nearly anywhere.
While these measures can help prevent the spread and growth of mold what should you do if mold is already present? The majority of
people immediately reach for bleach or chlorine based products. Bleach or chlorine can be a great way to keep your whites bright, but it's
also a substance that can be very harmful to your health. In attempting to clean with bleach you can wind up creating secondary problem
because of the harsh fumes. More importantly, bleach does not kill mold. It never has and unless the formula for modern bleach
changes, it never will. It appears that you have addressed your problem with bleach but all that has really happened is the mold, like
your socks, is now bleached bright white.
 We
recommend two alternatives to bleach and chlorine based cleaners. First, if possible, remove anything that has mold growth. From
caulk in a joint or a cushion, if you can get rid of it, do so. If removing the effected item is not an option, try a non-toxic
mold cleaner. MoldZyme, by EcoDiscoveries, uses a
enzyme based formula to remove mold and mildew. This cleaner is free of ammonia, chlorine and is biodegradeable. Another alternative
to bleach is Vital Oxide. Vital Oxide is a broad spectrum cleaner and
disinfectant. Not only does it eliminate mold but it also kills bacteria, reduces odors and inhibits new mold growth.
That brings us to the end of the line, preventing new mold growth. Aside from keeping relative humidity levels down, some areas
are always going to be prone to mold growth, particularly your bathroom. Mold tends to growth first on the caulk and grout used in the
seams around the shower stall, bathtub and in between tile. Once mold has been removed or caulk replaced you can help to prevent
new growth with a couple products. Our most popular product for this is M1 Sure Cote.
Sure Cote is sprayed to the desired surface and once dry prevent the growth of mildew and inhibits mold growth. The second product that
will help prevent the reappearance of mold and mildew is AllerMold.
This non-toxic spray will clean existing mold and once reapplied will continue to prevent future growth of mold and mildew. AllerMold
works best when reapplied every two months and is an excellent all-in-one mold cleaner and growth inhibitor.
As with many things, the key to controlling mold is environmental control. So whether it's a water damage site or simply an
average day in your home, keeping the relative humidity level low and reducing the amount of excess moisture is the key to a
clean and safe living environment.
Shop all dehumidifiers or read one of our helpful resources articles.
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