HOMEOWNER'S
AND RENTER'S
GUIDE TO MOLD
CLEANUP AFTER
DISASTERS

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Cleaning up after a flood can pose health risks. You and your family should wait to re-enter your home until
professionals tell you it is safe, with no structural, electrical or other hazards.

Before you start cleanup activities, contact your insurance company and take pictures of the home and your
belongings. Remember - drying your home and removing water-damaged items is your most important step for
preventing mold damage.

IS THERE A PROBLEM?

Was your home flooded? If so, and you were not able to dry your home (including furniture and other items)
within 24-48 hours, you should assume you have mold growth. You need to completely dry everything, clean up
the mold, and make sure you don't still have a moisture problem.

You may see or smell mold on clothing, drywall, furniture, cardboard boxes, or books, but it may also be hidden
under or behind items like carpet, cushions, or walls.

MOLD BASICS: HOW MOLDS CAN AFFECT YOUR HEALTH

Exposure to mold can lead to asthma attacks, eye and skin irritation, and allergic reactions. It can lead to

severe infections in people with weakened immune
systems. Avoid contaminated buildings and
contaminated water as much as you can.

KEY MESSAGES

Wear personal protective equipment. Wear

an N-95 respirator at a minimum, goggles,

and protective gloves.

Use portable generators carefully, outside

and away from the home, to avoid carbon

monoxide poisoning and fires.

Ensure the mold cleanup is complete before

reoccupying your home.

Flood water may have carried sewage or chemicals
into your home. This could expose you or your
family to viruses, bacteria, disease carriers (such
as mosquitos), and parasites, as well as mold.
To learn more about cleaning and disinfection go
to: http://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/emergency/
flood/standing, htm I

You can protect yourself and your family from mold exposure by following these steps.

BEFORE YOU ENTER ANY MOLDY SITE:

•	Protect yourself and loved ones against hazards. People with breathing problems like asthma or who have
weakened immune systems should stay away from moldy sites. Children should not take part in disaster
cleanup work. Check for loose power lines or gas leaks. Make sure the electricity and gas are turned off.

Look for sagging ceilings or floors or other structural problems. Watch out for wet, muddy, or slippery
floors.

•	Protect your mouth and nose against breathing in mold: wear at least an N-95 respirator. If you plan to spend
a lot of time removing moldy belongings or doing work like ripping out moldy drywall, wear a half-face or full-
face respirator. Basic information on using it is in OSHA's general respiratory protection guidance.

•	Protect your skin. Wear protective gloves (non-latex, vinyl, nitrile, or rubber). Do not touch mold or moldy
items with bare hands.

•	Protect your eyes. Wear goggles that provide complete eye protection. Choose goggles designed to keep out
dust and small particles. Safety glasses or goggles that have open vent holes will not protect you against
dust and small particles.

HOMEOWNER'S AND RENTER'S GUIDE TO MOLD CLEANUP AFTER DISASTERS

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SHOULD I DO THIS MYSELF?

This job may be too difficult or dangerous for you. It may be
best to get help from experienced and qualified professionals
if you can. Hire a mold inspection or remediation
professional affiliated with or certified by the National
Environmental Health Association (NEHA), the American
Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA),the Institute of
Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC), or American Council for Accredited Certification
(ACAC) to inspect, repair, and restore the damaged parts of your home. Your state also may regulate mold
remediation.

AFTER YOU LEAVE A MOLD SITE:

• Protect yourself and loved ones. Shower and change
your clothes. This will help you avoid carrying mold and
other hazards back to your current living quarters.

Sampling for mold is not usually recommended. Understanding the results can be difficult, and no matter what
kind of mold is in your home, you need to clean it up and fix the moisture problem.

IF 1 MUST DO THIS MYSELF, HOW CAN I DO IT SAFELY?

Follow these steps:

1.	Put on the personal protective equipment described above to protect your eyes, nose, mouth, and skin.

2.	Remove standing water and wet materials. Use a wet vacuum to remove water from floors, carpets, and
hard surfaces. Dry your home and everything in it as quickly as you can - within 24 to 48 hours if you can.

3.	Open all doors and windows when you are working and leave as many open as is safe when you leave.

o Open inside doors, especially closets and interior rooms, to let air flow to all areas. Take doors off their
hinges if you need to.

o Open kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanity doors; remove drawers, wipe them clean, and stack them
to dry.

o Open the attic access to let air flow to the attic. Before you open the attic door, make sure nothing will
fall on you.

4.	When electricity is safe to use, use fans and dehumidifiers to remove moisture. Do not use fans if mold has
already started to grow, because the fans may spread the mold.

5.	Clean with water and a detergent. Remove all mold you can see. Dry right away.

6.	If you use cleaning products, do not mix cleaning products together. DO NOT mix bleach and ammonia
because it can create toxic vapors.

7.	Painting or caulking over mold will not prevent mold from growing. Fix the water problem completely and
clean up all the mold before you paint or caulk.

8.	Throw away items that can't be cleaned and dried. Throw away anything that was wet with flood water and
can't be cleaned and dried completely within 24 to 48 hours. If you have precious items that you want to
preserve, follow these guidelines from the Smithsonian Institute: http://www.si.edu/mci/english/

learn more/taking care/mnm.html

HOMEOWNER'S AND RENTER'S GUIDE TO MOLD CLEANUP AFTER DISASTERS

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Debris removal guidelines

In efforts to expedite the
debris removal process,
please follow these rules

Placing debris near or on
trees, poles or other
structures makes
removal difficult This
includes fire
hydrants and
meters.

Do not leave

doors

unsealed or
unsecured

Debris
separation

ease separate
debris into trie
sax categories,
shown below.

Electronics

Television,
computer, stereo,
phone, DVD player

Large Appliances

Refrigerator,
washer/dryer, air
conditioner, stove,
water heater,
dishwasher

Debris
should be placed
curbside

Debris should not block roadway

hazardous waste

Oil, battery, pesticide, paint, cleaning
supplies, compressed gas

-Vegetative debris

Tree branches, leaves, logs, plants

Construction debris

Building materials, drywall, lumber, carpet,
furniture, plumbing
Household garbage

Bagged garbage, discarded food, paper, packaging,

SAFETY TIPS ON USING PORTABLE GENERATORS

Ifyou use a portable generator for electricity use CAUTION to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning and fires,

•	Use portable generators OUTSIDE and at least 20 feet away from buildings.

•	Do not use portable generators inside your house or garage.

•	Do not put portable generators on balconies or near doors, vents, or windows.

•	Do not use portable generators near where you or your children are sleeping

•	Never refuel a generator while it is hot.

•	For more information, go to: http://www.osha.gov/OshDoc/data Hurricane Facts/portable generator safetv.pdf

AM I DONE?

•	Ifyou still see or smell mold, you have more work to do. After a remediation, there should be no signs of
water damage or mold growth.

•	You may need to ask a mold remediation professional to know whether your mold problem is completely
fixed. As noted in the "Should I do this myself?" section, sampling for mold is not usually recommended;
instead, a careful inspection of the work area for completion of the cleanup and absence of mold-related
odors is usuaiiy appropriate.

•	Ifyou have health problems that get worse when you return home, like asthma or allergy attacks or skin or
eye irritation, you may still have some mold.

LOCAL CONTACT INFO:

HOMEOWNER'S AND RENTER'S GUIDE TO MOLD CLEANUP AFTER DISASTERS, JUNE 2015

Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Task Force - Indoor Environmental Pollutants Work Group

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