Shake, Rattle and Mold

“Just imagine that someone picked up your building and shook it as hard as they could, then filled it with mud, and then dropped it.  That’s what my dental lab and my house looked like after Hurricane Katrina,” said Terry St. Germain of Bite Rite Dental Laboratory in New Orleans.  Terry had just killed a water moccasin in his living room of his house before he called Safelink a few weeks ago.  He wanted to know from us if anything in his laboratory or home was salvageable.   

After talking with the Centers for Disease Control and researching the information that governmental agencies have made available to the hurricane victims, we advised Terry to play it safe and start over with everything in his home and in his lab.  Not only is there a concern for deterioration of equipment and materials from water, oil, and other water pollutants, but there’s the issue of contamination from mold.

The photo with this article was taken in the home of one of my guests who was a victim of the hurricane.  His home had about two feet of water in it and mold has grown everywhere.  Another friend of mine who is living in Atlanta temporarily visited her office at the University of New Orleans and even though there was no water damage in her office, the mold had begun to grow on the furniture.  Remember that there was no electricity and these buildings have been closed up for weeks.  Here’s some information about mold and how to fight it.

MOLD FACTS

    * It may be invisible to the eye or look like furry growth, black stains or specks of black, white, orange, green or brown on surfaces.

    * It needs a warm environment and moisture to grow.  Most homes offer a good food supply - drywall, wood, insulation or paper.  After these materials become damp, the spores can quickly colonize.

    * People with pre-existing respiratory conditions and weakened immune systems, such as HIV, cancer, infants, young children and the elderly are at higher risk when exposed to mold.

    * Soap and water do not effectively eliminate mold.  They may remove the stain by moving around the spores, but the spores are capable of recolonizing.

HOW TO FIGHT MOLD

    * Maintain indoor relative humidity between 35 - 50 percent.

    * Fix leaking pipes immediately and prevent water from intruding.

    * Use exhaust fans to increase bathroom and kitchen ventilation.  Use air conditioning or dehumidifiers during summer months and at high humidity times like the fall.

    * Clean hard surfaces regularly with a bleach-based product that has been proven to kill mold.

CDC as the following information available at their website www.cdc.gov:

“After natural disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes, and floods, excess moisture and standing water contribute to the growth of mold in homes and other buildings. When returning to a home that has been flooded, be aware that mold may be present and may be a health risk for your family.”

OSHA also provides information to the workers involved with natural disaster clean-up and repairs under their website at www.osha.gov.

We at Safelink offer our assistance and prayers to those who were victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and also to the victims of flooding in other parts of our country.


Do you have a question for Mary Borg? E-mail jdt@nadl.org.