After some natural disasters, such as floods and hurricanes, standing water and excess moisture can cause mold to grow in homes and buildings. If you are returning to a home or building that has been flooded, it is important to remember that mold may be present. Some individuals - including those with asthma, allergies, breathing difficulties, or compromised immune systems – may be more sensitive to mold, which can cause a stuffy nose, wheezing, skin or eye irritation, and infection.
Viewer Tip: As you return home and clean-up, keep these tips in mind to reduce your exposure to mold:
- Look for discolored walls and ceilings, and visible signs of mold and water damage; note any musty, earthy, or bad smells that might indicate a mold problem that needs to be cleaned up.
- Remove items from your home that have been wet for more than 48 hours and can’t be thoroughly cleaned and dried. These include carpets, upholstery, wallpaper, floor and ceiling tiles, drywall, insulation materials, clothing, and others. These materials can continue to be a source of mold growth over time.
- If you will be inside a home or building cleaning up mold for an extended period of time, protect your airways by purchasing an “N95″ mask from your local home improvement store to wear while you are in the building.
Find additional mold clean-up and removal tips from CDC: emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/mold/protect.asp.
More clean-up and disinfection information can be found in EPA’s “Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture, and Your Home:” www.epa.gov/iaq/molds/images/moldguide.pdf.
Seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall
(Sources: Centers for Disease Control. Emergency Preparedness and Response. “Protect Yourself from Mold.” http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/mold/protect.asp)
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