Hurricane season is upon us and we need to be prepared. Preparing your home for a storm or a hurricane can lessen the potential damage to your property. After heavy rain or flooding, there are simple things you can do to protect your home from developing a mold problem.

 

HOW TO PREPARE BEFORE THE STORM

Be prepared for power failure. Buy yourself a generator and a dehumidifier. Beyond not having power for basic functionality, your AC won’t be running. It’s vital to keep your humidity levels under control. Anything over 60 percent relative humidity will cause mold to germinate.

 

Make sure your gutters and outside drains are clean. Remove any debris from gutters and downspouts and be sure they are adequately angled away from the house, otherwise, water will collect at the edge of the house and leak into the foundation.

 

Don’t wait until leaks start; prepare now. Some of us know that we have trouble spots in our homes. Anticipate them in advance. Check every window in the house to be sure they are closed tight. We recommend fixing any leaks right away, but if you are not able in time, then place towels and buckets on the floor or in the window of the affected areas. In heavy rains, you may need to change the towels and empty the buckets several times. Most importantly, once the rain and leaking have stopped, remove the wet towels and buckets from the area immediately or you risk mold growth which can occur in as little as 48 to 72 hours.

 

WHAT TO DO AFTER THE STORM

If water gets in your home, take pictures and then start removing it immediately. Do not wait for your insurance company to call you back. Waiting for even a few hours could accentuate your water and possible mold damage. Mop, vacuum or pump water out of the affected area as soon as possible. Remove wet items and materials from the area. Mold can grow from anywhere. Call a restoration company to help you with this. There is an exact technology in drying out a home to prevent future mold growth.

 

Remove wet carpeting right away. It’s best to discard it, but if it can be salvaged, clean, disinfect and dry it quickly. If the padding gets wet, do not reuse. Carpet tack strips and under carpet padding are likely places mold can grow after a flood.

 

Clean items with non-phosphate detergents. Despite popular belief, bleach will not fix a mold problem. Disinfectants can kill molds but they do not prevent regrowth. They actually agitate the mold. It’s like taking a baseball bat to a beehive.

 

Have your home tested for mold if flooding has taken place. If you experience flooding and have concerns about mold growth in your home, have a certified mold inspector test and assess the damage and give you options on how to fix it. Mold can cause very serious health problems, including asthma, upper respiratory tract symptoms, coughing, wheezing, allergic reactions, neurological dysfunctions and more.

 

MOLD CONTROL AFTER THE STORM

If you’ve already noticed mold during or after the storm, here are some emergency tips that can save your home and keep you and your family healthy.

 

Avoid the affected area. When you return to your home after a hurricane or even if you’ve stayed at home, it’s important to not go near the affected area but rather to seal it safely off from the rest of the house. If you have to go into the affected area, wear minimally an N95 mask.

 

Don’t try to fix it yourself. If you are not a trained professional, it’s best not to try to handle the mold yourself because it could lead to serious health issues or even more money spent down the line. Don’t remove any moldy items from the affected area. It’s very important to not touch anything as mold spores can spread.

 

Find a great mold remediation company. A good mold remediation company should respond immediately. Any company you hire should take all the proper safety measures before dealing with your issue. They should have the expertise to fix your problem fast to lessen the impact of the mold. Professionals can find the real source of the mold and use proper equipment to handle the damage.

 

Mold Zero, a mold removal company, uses a highly effective and affordable mold elimination method called Dry Fog Technology. It is patented, family-safe, non-toxic and EPA approved in all 50 states. Not only quicker and more effective than outdated remediation methods, it also saves money. For more information, call 877-466-6530 or visit MoldZero.com. See ad page 41.