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Now that the flood waters have receded and flood victims continue their efforts to rebuild, they are coming to terms with a new threat to their well-being: mold. During a flood cleanup, the indoor air quality in your home or office may appear to be the least of your problems. However, failure to remove contaminated materials and to reduce moisture and humidity can present serious long-term health risks. Standing water and wet materials are a breeding ground for microorganisms, such as viruses, bacteria, and mold. They can cause disease, trigger allergic reactions, and continue to damage materials long after the flood. MOLD TESTING: Expensive – and probably not helpful. People often have unrealistic expectations about what testing can accomplish, and are easily persuaded that it needs to be done. But mold testing is expensive, and it may or may not tell you what you need to know. Before you’re tempted to have any testing done, try to check for possible mold problems on your own. The basic task is always to (1) find the location of any mold growth, and (2) determine the source of the moisture that’s allowing the mold to grow. More of this topic in the link below: %Link1% and %Link2% If testing isn’t really needed, or done properly, you may be wasting money that could be used to correct a mold problem. Under those circumstances, it’s not a wise or cost effective way of dealing with the issue. If you see or smell mold, you don’t need to test for it; clean it up instead. Odor is apparent An odor generally accompanies mold, he added. Take Steps to Protect Yourself People who have health problems or are very sensitive to mold should not do clean-up work in situations where there is heavy mold growth, or a high risk of disturbing materials contaminated with mold. People who are in poor physical condition should be extremely cautious about doing heavy work while wearing a respirator. If you plan to enter a moldy environment, especially where moldy materials are being disturbed, you should use a respirator to protect your health. At a minimum, you should use an N95 or a N100 type disposable respirator. Greater respiratory protection may be more appropriate if you are sensitive to airborne contaminants, or, where mold growth is heavy or covers an extensive area. More protective options include half-face negative-air respirators with a HEPA filter (i.e., N100, P100) or supplied air respirators such as a powered air purifying respirator (PAPR). More information about respirators: * Masks and Respirators * Disposable Respirators (including N95) The following precautions are recommended when working with moldy materials: * Wear an “N-95” or a N100 type disposable respirator (available from safety equipment suppliers, hardware stores, or some building supply stores). * Use rubber gloves * Wear eye goggles that seal out fine dusts-like materials * Wear outer clothing (long sleeved shirts and long pants) that can be easily removed before leaving the work area, and later laundered or discarded * Do not eat, drink or smoke in the contaminated area, since disease-causing organisms from sewage or floodwater may be present. For more info, check this link below: flood south auckland
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