Health experts urge those who find mold to act fast. Cleaning mold quickly and properly is essential for a healthy home, especially for people who suffer from allergies and asthma, said the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Many materials are prone to developing mold if they are damp or wet for too long. Start a post-flood cleanup by sorting all items exposed to floodwaters:
Although it can be hard to get rid of a favorite chair, a child's doll or any other precious treasure to safeguard the well-being of your loved ones, a top-to-bottom home cleanup is your best defense, according to the experts. From damaged personal items to the growth of mold spores that can impact the health of a home and its inhabitants, taking the proper steps to restore a property after a flood can limit the extent of the damage incurred
What to do?And so the primary advice is something that people are already doing: hauling stuff to the curb. The first thing is what you see, ripping out all the cellulose-containing building material, like carpet. If you leave them in, they are going to grow mold, and you will have all the associated health problems, so you need to get all the waterlogged material out."
Drywall, the most popular interior wall material, is coated with paper, and mold spores sprout on it within minutes, says Straus, and become visible within a day or two.
Contaminated, porous materials like drywall and carpet need to be dumped, not bleached, says Straus. "We usually don't recommend putting bleach on things. It may kill mold in the immediate time frame, but as long as things stay wet, mold will grow."
Mold and mildew can start growing within 24 hours after a flood, and can lurk throughout a home, from the attic to the basement and crawl spaces. The best defense is to clean, dry or, as a last resort, discard moldy items.
When to decide?Deciding whether to discard, clean, or call a professional when carpet becomes flooded depends on several factors. The water damage on carpet is one of the main determinants. Water damage can easily be hidden underneath rugs or carpet, so be sure to give your home a thorough inspection if you suspect water damage.
Steam clean all carpets to properly sanitize and deodorize. Typically, water-damaged carpet padding must be replaced.
Replacing just the padding is much less expensive than having to re-carpet your entire home.Sometimes replacing the water damaged carpet is the cheapest and easiest way to deal with the situation, although often isn't required when you engage professionals straight away .
Cleaning water-soaked carpets and floors is difficult under any conditions, but in the aftermath of a storm or flood, contamination by mud, silt, sewage and mildew, can compound the problem. The Institute for Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification recommends that in such cases, a certified flood restorationservice provider should evaluate water damage and remove mold.
Check out Auckland Flood Restoration assistance to reliably do the job for you
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