Allergy Relief - AchooAllergy.com
Free shipping on all orders over $150.00 - Allergy relief supplies Returns
View Your Cart Cart | My Account | Sign In | Help
Air Purifiers   Allergy Bedding   Allergy Armor   Vacuum Cleaners   Dehumidifiers   Humidifiers   Dust Mites   Asthma  

 

Health Risks of Excess Moisture

Excess Moisture and Your Health

Health Risks of Excess Moisture

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

Home DehumidifiersThe 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.

Vital Oxide Mold Cleaner MoldZyme Mold & Mildew CleanerWe 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.

Water Damage Restoration Restore Home Water Damage Dehumidifier FAQ Dehumidifiers FAQ
Moisture & Home Humidity Control Moisture and Humidity Control Dehumidifier Water Removal Dehumidifier Water Removal Options
Order by 3 pm EST for fast free same day shipping on orders over $150*.
12/30/09 I chose to do business with you because your site was simple to work with and gave shipping charges up front.
More Testimonials
Sales Assistance
24 hours a day, 7 days a week

Customer Service
Mon-Fri 9-5 EST    Sat 10-4 EST

Call Us at 1-800-339-7123

Customer Service
 
Shop by Category
Air Purifiers
Allergy Bedding
Allergy Armor
Vacuum Cleaners
Dehumidifiers
Humidifiers
Dust Mite Allergy
Furnace Filters
Nasal Irrigation
Asthma Treatment
Mattresses
Masks
Contact Us
1-800-339-7123
Email Us
About Us
Company Info
Atlanta Showroom Directions
Request a Catalog
Receive Our Newsletter
Physician Services
AchooAllergy.com Press
Media Kit
Affiliate Program

Account Info
Shopping Cart
Account Login
Shipping Info

Customer Service
Returns Form
Privacy Policy
User Agreement
Returns
Site Map
Corporate Purchase Orders
Government Purchase Orders
Medical Reimbursement Form
Special Discounts

AchooAllergy.com®
3411 Pierce Drive
Atlanta, GA 30341
© 2000 - 2010 AchooAllergy.com, All Rights Reserved
*Free shipping on orders over $150 to the contiguous United States