The Dangers of Mold and Mildew, Especially after Floods

Photo of flooding in Massachusetts caused by Hurricane Sandy from en.wikipedia.org

Mold and mildew cleaners make and work air safe to breathe after flooding

As if the devastation of flooding in a home or business is not enough strain and stress due to loss of property, the aftereffects of a flood can create health risks to the people who live and work in those spaces. Even as you plan to clean your home or work environment using mold and mildew cleaners, it is important to know the facts about how mold and mildew affect your health, especially if you suffer from asthma and allergies.  

Greater risks from mold and mildew

The risks are particularly great for those who suffer from asthma and allergies because flooded homes and basements can quickly become breeding grounds for dangerous molds and bacteria, magnifying the effects of allergens that to some people can even be life-threatening. Even the workers who do cleanup are at risk, raising issues of liability as flooded sites are treated for mold and other dangerous conditions.

Mold spores are everywhere

Mold is produced when mold spores that normally occur in our atmosphere find optimal growing conditions such as those left behind by a flood. When a building gets wet inside or out, molds and mildew can take hold, releasing even more spores into the atmosphere as mold or mildew spreads.

Taking precautions

The safest approach to cleaning mold and mildew out of a home begins with wearing safety masks designed to filter our dangerous mold spores from the air breathed by cleanup workers or residents of the building. It is therefore important that everyone who could come in contact with mold or airborne mold spores wear proper breathing protection such as dusk masks or respirators during cleanup.

One effective, affordable alternative is the 3M HEPA Mask that filters out 99.97% of all particles, protecting asthma and allergy sufferers under the most extreme conditions. This dust and allergen mask actually has many uses for allergy sufferers, and its high air filtration rate is excellent protection against mold, mildew or other irritants.

It is important to remember that life-threatening asthma and allergy attacks can occur when proper precautions are not put in place during the cleanup period.

Safe mold and mildew treatments

The principle goal is to permanently remove allergens such as mold and mildew so that they do not persist or return. That requires proven, effective mold and mildew cleaners that work on any surface and can safely and instantly remove mold or mildew growth. 

When cleaning is complete, ward off new mold growth with a mold and mildew stain preventer that gives your home or workplace vital protection against recurring mold and mildew that can continue to vex allergy sufferers long after the first incident.