Mold expensive to remove, dangerous if left untreated

The sun was shining Friday on Romana Street, but from within the flooded confines of a street-level garage sporting a stormwater ring about 3 feet off the floor, invisible mold spores were lurking.

But the mold didn't stand a chance thanks to Kansas Padley and Liza Colegrove of Tybee's Professional Cleaning of Pensacola. As Katherine Carter, the owner of the cleaning company with 50 employees, pitched in, the crew removed sodden boxes of books, clothes, debris and furniture from the garage and placed it curbside. Then the brooms and mops came out to get water off the floor. Next, the tough job of spraying cleaner and wiping down walls began and continued for hours.

When it comes to preventing mold, there is no time to wait, Carter said.

"The best thing to do is get everything that's wet out and cleaned up ... pull up the carpet and pads if it's wet ... then clean everything and get the surface dry," she said.

Northwest Florida residents are familiar with the health dangers and expense tied to mold and have kept remediation businesses extremely busy. In fact, Charlie Henry of Servpro of West Pensacola, a water and fire damage restoration company, said in one day the franchise fielded 300 calls for assistance, and the national toll-free line received thousands of calls from Pensacola-area residents. An estimated 200 extra Servpro crews are being sent to the area because of the demand, he said.

But if you tackle the problem early and the suspected molded area is less than 10 square feet, you likely can clean it yourself. If not, consult a specialist for proper cleanup.

Here's what to do, but you have to act fast:

• Start cleanup as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the more likely the mold will grow.

• Dry all items completely. Dehumidifiers can help. Get air flowing in the flooded room with fans or powerful driers. Remove soaked material and get it outside to dry.

• Scrub mold off hard surfaces with detergent and water. A mild bleach solution also may help with some surfaces. Afterward, dry completely. Appliances, such as washers and dryers, should be cleaned with hot water or a mild bleach solution, not detergent.

• Absorbent materials, such as ceiling tiles, upholstery, clothing and carpet, may have to be thrown away. Mold can grow on or fill in the empty spaces and crevices of these materials, meaning the mold may be difficult or impossible to remove completely.

• Avoid exposing yourself or others to mold. Buy a respirator or mask, which costs about $15, to avoid breathing in mold. Also, wear gloves and goggles.

• Do not paint or caulk moldy surfaces before cleaning the mold. Get a mold test kit to check surfaces, rugs and materials. Prices range from $8 to $55 for kits.

You should be able to reoccupy the area without health complaints or physical symptoms.

After flooding, spores can grow exponentially in a short period of time and can cause allergic reactions and respiratory problems. Prolonged exposure to mold can be harmful or even deadly.

Mold exposure symptoms include headaches, sneezing fits, nasal and sinus congestion, eye irritation, coughs, wheezing and difficulty breathing.