Post-Hurricane Sandy Series: Mold and Mildew Management

This week we continue our Post-Hurricane Sandy Series with what you need to know about mold and mildew management after the flood waters recede.

Our next posts in the series address cooling towers and FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) assistance.

As we’ve discussed in our post Post-Hurricane Sandy Series: Mold Control for HVAC and Facilities, controlling mold growth must be placed at the top of a clean-up list after a flood. Growth can occur on any number of hard surfaces, such as flooring and drywall, and also within the confines of your HVAC.

But mold management doesn’t end there. We’ve touched primarily on how it affects an HVAC system, but it also affects many more areas. And even after flood waters recede, you won’t be in the safety zone for quite some time. In fact, mold problems can appear five to six weeks after a flood, according to FEMA.

An article published in SILive.com about Hurricane Sandy warns of the health risks as well as the thousands of dollars that can be spent months down the line if a mold problem is not completely remedied.

The article explains that while New York residents are removing sheet rock and insulation and totally gutting their homes, it may not be enough. The contaminated salt water that flooded homes last month may leave mold spores on damp wooden walls. Once the insulation and sheet rock are reinstalled, the dark, wet environment is a breeding ground for mold.

Rep. Michael Grimm (R-Staten Island/Brooklyn) warns that once repairs are made and you sign off with your insurance company, you may not be able to recoup costs for remediating further mold growth, which can cost thousands of dollars and may even cause your house to be condemned.

FEMA offers the following guidelines:

• Porous materials can’t be cleaned. Discard carpets, carpet pads, furniture, insulation, linoleum, sheetrock, wallboard, chipboard, particle board and ceiling tiles.
• Run dehumidifiers to thoroughly dry the wood once all the insulation and drywall are removed.
• Appliances may contain insulation and can harbor mold spores. Discard all appliances including stoves, refrigerators, freezers, dishwashers, washing machines, dryers and hot water heaters.
• Change heating and air conditioning filters, and clean the system’s ductwork (hire a professional if necessary).
• Wash walls, floors and other areas contaminated with mold with a mold cleaner, followed by a mold inhibitor.
• Hose down ducts to prevent spreading spores once the HVAC is turned on. Wash the ductwork with a disinfectant.

To address current mold growth, and prevent future growth, Goodway has the products you need to clean the surfaces and the HVAC systems affected by mold.

For your HVAC, use our MoldTek Mold & Mildew Cleaner & Disinfectant, a ready-to-use cleaner effective at killing mold on non-porous surfaces such as HVAC coils and ducts.

CoilShine-BC Mold and Mildew Inhibitor is a commercial grade, EPA-registered, ready-to-use treatment that inhibits mold growth. It can be applied to coils, ducts, drain pans and other components, and is formulated for use in sprayers.

FreshDuct Odor Eliminator controls the odor left behind by mold and mildew. It’s non-toxic and biodegradable, destroys odor molecules on contact, and leaves your ducts smelling fresh.

For floors and other surfaces, we also recommend MoldTek Mold & Mildew Cleaner & Disinfectant. In addition to HVAC components, it’s formulated for use on floors, walls, and other surfaces.

MoldTek-MT Mold Growth Control & Inhibitor, our EPA registered mildewstat and fungistat, is specially formulated to inhibit mold and mildew growth on floors, walls and other hard surfaces. And because it’s labeled for use in occupied spaces, no evacuation is necessary during the clean-up process.

Next Steps:

• Read: HVAC Maintenance and Floods: Help With Disaster Recovery
• Read: Mold: A Common HVAC Complaint That Is Easy To Deal With
• Subscribe to our blog to receive the full blog series via email and stay informed about the latest HVAC news and insight.
• Stay up to date on facility maintenance tools such as chiller tube cleaners, boiler tube cleaners, hose/pipe cleaners, descaler systems, industrial vacuums, commercial pressure washers, and drain cleaners.