One of the Lasting Effects On the Jersey Shore from Hurricane Sandy... Mold

The flood waters that damaged so many Jersey Shore homes have receded but they left behind dangerous mold and mildew.  Like salt in an open wound, many homeowners who rebuilt their homes after serious damage from the floods brought on by this Superstorm are now dealing with health concerns from mold. 

Homeowners often discover they have a mold problem when they begin to suffer health problems, like chronic respiratory issues.  If you or someone in your family continues to suffer with allergies after the seasons have changed, consider mold to be the problem.  To read more about how mold can contribute to your ongoing respiratory problems read our previous blog, Chronic Allergies or Respiratory Problems?  Mold Could Be the Issue.  The cold winter that followed Hurricane Sandy may have temporarily stopped the growth of mold.  But if mold is present, the increasing temperatures and humidity that comes along with the spring and summer will aggravate mold growth and reignite the respiratory problems for individuals living in homes or working in buildings that contain hidden mold spores.    

Here are some signs that dangerous mold and mildew may be lurking behind your walls, ceilings or floors:

• You can visibly see mold growth, even if it’s only a small amount, you should contact a mold professional immediately.  Small visible signs of mold growth can be an indicator that a much larger problem lurks behind a wall or ceiling.
• Your home has a mold or mildew odor to it.  Even if that area is in your basement and not in your immediate living space you are likely suffering the effects of breathing in that contaminated air.
• You had significant flooding in your home and materials remained wet for longer than two or three days.
• You have wall-to-wall carpeting that became saturated.  This type of carpeting acts like a sponge and is extremely difficult to dry properly.
• Humidity levels in any part of your home are over 60%.
• Your home was cleaned or reconstructed by volunteers that may not have properly treated areas prone to mold growth or did not allow areas behind walls to properly dry before closing them up. 
• Well intentioned volunteers or uneducated workers may have closed up walls without properly removing all of the wet drywall or treating for mold. 
• Workers simply used a mixture of water and bleach to treat visible mold, which will most likely not cure the mold problem.  

If you suffered water damage from Hurricane Sandy and feel your house may be prone to the growth of dangerous mold contact us today for a free inspection and estimate.  Cowleys Mold Solutions offers a completely different mold treatment process that can get you back in your house in about 4 hours, much safer and faster than typical mold remediation “contactor and demolition” firms. Read about Cowley’s 4-Step Non-Toxic Mold Treatment Process here.