When returning to a flooded home after a natural disaster, such as a hurricane, a tornado or flood, consider that the house may be contaminated with mold or sewage water, and that this might oppose a threat to your family’s health.
The first thing you should do when returning home
• If there are stagnant waters in the house and you are able to shut down the electricity at the main switch from a dry location, proceed in doing so, even if this delays cleaning. If there is no way to avoid walking on water to reach the main switchboard, call an electrician to shut off electricity. NEVER shut off or restore electricity or use any electrical tool or appliance yourself while standing in water.
• Have an electrician check the electric system of the house before restoring electricity.
• If the house has been closed during several days, open the door and windows and allow the house to air for a while (at least 30 minutes) before remaining inside for longer.
• If the house is flooded and has been closed during several days, assume it is contaminated with mold.
• If the house has been flooded, it is possible that it is also contaminated with sewage waters.
Ways of drying the house
If flood or storm water has entered your home, it must be dried as soon as possible.
Follow these recommendations:
• If you have electricity and an electrician has determined that it is safe to restore it, use a wet-dry vacuum (or the vacuum feature in a steam carpet cleaner), a transfer pump or sump pump to dry the stagnant water. If using equipment in wet areas, ensure you are wearing rubber boots.
• If you have no electricity and it is not safe to restore electricity, you can use a portable electric generator to activate the equipment. Note: If a gasoline operated pump, generator, pressure washing machine or any other gasoline operated machine must be used, never do so within the house, basement, garage, porch or other enclosed or partially enclosed structure, even if the doors and windows are open. Inappropriate use of such equipment may generate highly dangerous levels of carbon monoxide and cause intoxication.
• If the weather allows it, open the doors and windows to help the drying process.
• Use fans and dehumidifiers to eliminate the excess humidity. Fans should be placed near a door or window so they direct the air outwards and not inwards and prevent mold spread.
• Before activating heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, have them checked and cleaned by a service or maintenance technician with experience in mold removal. If said systems are flooded and contaminated with mold, activating them will cause mold spreading around the house. A professional cleaning will end the mold and prevent it from reappearing. Once the technician has determined that the systems are clean and may be operated safely, you may activate them to eliminate the excess humidity in the house.
• Do not allow water to come back inside the home. E.g. rain water accumulated in gutters or the roof must be drained far away from the home; the air around the house must be built with a certain slope to keep the basements and narrow spaces dry.
Protect against mold
After a natural catastrophe, such as a hurricane, a tornado or flood, the excess humidity and stagnant waters favor mold formation in homes and other buildings. When returning to a house that has been flooded, consider that there is a possibility of mold presence and that it may be a threat to your family’s health.
People at greater risk
People suffering from asthma, allergies or other respiratory conditions may be more sensitive to mold. People with a weak immune system (such as those infected with HIV, cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, or organ transplant recipients) are most vulnerable to mold infections.
Possible health effects
Mold sensitive people may suffer nasal congestion, eye irritation, wheezing or skin irritation. People with mold allergies may have breathing difficulties. People with a weak immune system and those with chronic pulmonary conditions, such as obstructive pulmonary disease, may suffer serious lung infections caused by mold. If you or any member of your family experience health problems after being exposed to mold, get in touch with your doctor.
How to spot mold
You may spot mold as following:
• Sight (see if the walls and ceilings are discolored or if there is any indication of damage caused by water or mold formation)
• Smell (does it smell bad, like humidity or rain?)
How to prevent mold growth
Quickly clean and dry your home or building (in the following 24 to 48 hours). Open the doors and windows. Use fans to dry your home or building.
• When in doubt, throw it away! Remove all porous items that have been wet for more than 48 hours and that cannot be cleaned and dried appropriately. These items may continue to be a source of mold and must be removed from the home. Some porous items that cannot be cleaned are carpets and felt in the carpets, furniture fabrics, drywalls, insulation material, clothing, leather, paper, wood and food. It is important to remove the porous items and perform general clean up because mold, even dead mold, may cause allergic reactions in some people.
• To avoid mold growth, clean wet surfaces and items with water and detergent.
• Homeowners may store items outside their home until insurance claims are filed.
• If you wish to learn more about disinfection, visit EPA online.
If mold is growing in your home, it must be eliminated and any water problem such as leaking at the roof, walls or pipelines must be repaired. The most important thing you can do to avoid mold growth is control humidity at your home.
To remove mold from solid surfaces use commercial products, soap and water, or a domestic bleach solution (chlorine) diluted with 1 cup of bleach in a gallon (3.8 liters) of water. Use a toothbrush to clean rugged areas such as concrete.
If you wish to use domestic bleach (chlorine) to clean mold:
• Never mix chlorine with ammonia. Mixing chlorine with ammonia may generate dangerous and toxic fumes.
• Open the doors and windows to allow fresh air in.
• Use solid gloves and goggles to protect your eyes.
• Always check manufacturing instructions when using chlorine (bleach) or any other type of cleaning product.
If you plan to stay inside the property for a prolonged amount of time or if you plan to clean the mold, you need to purchase a N95 mask at a local store and use it while inside the property. Ensure you follow the instructions that appear in the package about adjusting the mask. If you are in the property for a short period of time and are not cleaning the mold, there is no need to wear a N95 mask.
Provisional recommendations: respiratory protection for residents reentering flooded areas and homes
Do I need to wear a mask when returning home?
If you only need to retrieve your belongings or perform simple cleaning of a house that has been flooded, usually there is no need to wear a mask. Situations where a mask is required are explained next.
Inside your home or in other buildings
Before entering your home or any other building, make sure that:
• Its structure is in good shape
• It has no gas leaks or other security problems
Usually, you are not required to wear a mask while inside a house or building, unless you are performing an activity that generates large amounts of dust such as sweeping, using saws and other types of electrical equipment or removing mold. If you have to be in a dust charged environment,
• Limit contact with dust as much as possible.
• Use wet mops or vacuums equipped with HEPA filters, instead of dry sweeping.
• Wear a mask that protects you against circulating dust.
The N-95 mask has been approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), which is a member of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This mask can offer you a certain degree of protection against dust and mold in the air. The mask should adjust perfectly to the face and be used correctly in order to offer protection. You may buy N95 masks in stores carrying safety products and in most hardware stores and home improvement stores. If you have breathing problems or any other type of inconvenient when using the mask during cleaning work, stop working and see a doctor.
Outside your home and other buildings
Usually, wearing a mask is not required in outdoors since air is usually clean. However, if the air is charged with dust (you may be pilling rubble with a shovel, sweeping dust or using electrical equipment), then a mask mat be necessary, as the N95 described above.
Note 1: if using a N95 mask, read and follow instructions in the box. This will help you select the appropriate mask size and using it correctly. A beard may hinder mask adjusting. Since masks are aimed to protect healthy workers with the advantage of undergoing training, health evaluations and equipment with appropriate adjustment, it is possible that the degree of protection they offer to the general public is considerably lower.
Note 2: No agency or entity in the United States tests and certifies masks for general public use; however, NIOSH/CDC tests and certifies masks for industrial use. Masks certified by NIOSH/CDC carry an approval label “NIOSH Approved” that identifies dangers the mask will protect against. The mask N95 is only approved to protect against airborne dust (from activities such as sweeping, sawing, mold removal and other dust generating activities). The N95 mask is not approved to protect against chemical substances or fumes, such as carbon monoxide, and do not protect against them. If you sense a strong chemical smell, you must leave the area immediately.
