GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) – As residents start to move back-in following severe local flooding many are shifting their concern to what could be developing inside their home.
Many people have had to clear out their homes as floodwaters left behind a mess of ruin and destruction, but the impact of flooding might still be felt by some in one more way… mold.
“There are about 180,000 different types of mold,” explains Jason Haasch, owner of Top to Bottom Inspection. “About 75-percent of them are toxic to humans and cause health problems.”
Even though home inspectors often see mold, Haasch asserts that he’s never seen so many homes affected by mold in the Green Bay area as he has in the past two weeks.
“It’s very, very quick and it’s only going to get worse,” he explains.
After being exposed to water mold can develop within one to two days.
It’s recommended to throw away items as soon as possible if you weren’t able to dry them within 48 hours of being contaminated by flood water.
Since mold can present concerns to both your property and health it’s a good idea to have an expert conduct a look around.
Green Bay city inspector Scott Nelson says that’s not them.
“We don’t test for mold,” he explains. “But what we look for is water damage material like flooring, sheetrock, and anything that can not be readily dried out.”
Mold spores can easily develop in its early stages on wood, carpet, drywall, tiles, and places where there’s a lot of insulation.
With that in mind, it’s recommended to seek out experts that can run the proper tests to detect something wrong.
“We don’t test for mold and don’t have an ordinance for the city,” says Nelson. “But if people have concerns about the mold we suggest they contact a state certified lab that deals with mold or a remediation company.”
If you start abruptly suffering from shortness of breath or wheezing, you may be exposing yourself to mold.
Some ways to safely clean mold from your home can be found here.
