Quick cleanup needed to avoid mold

When floodwaters began to recede from Highway 3 in Olive Branch, Ill., last week, Foodtown owner Ken Newton and his staff got to work quickly. They gathered vacuums, buckets, gloves, trash bags and a lot of bleach.

There was a lot of mud, water and debris to clean up, and Newton knew if he was going to pass an inspection by the Illinois Health Department -- and stay open for his customers -- he had to fight off any mold that may have developed on the soaked insulation inside the store's walls.

Luckily, Newton said Thursday, they acted quickly enough and he has since passed an inspection and opened his store, which serves the small Illinois community.

"If you let it go a week, a couple of weeks, and if you don't keep the humidity out of it, it'll cause mold quickly," said Newton, who tackled the cleanup himself because he knew area professionals were booked. "As much water and disaster as there was in this area, there was not enough of them available, so we elected to do it in order to get it done as fast as we could. Bleach is as good as what they're going to put on it."

Not everyone, though, should take the initiative to clean up water and sewer damage from flooding, according to Anthony Lawrence, owner of A&D Fire/Water Restoration in Jackson. Lawrence, who started his business around two years ago, said if restoration isn't done properly, it can cause more problems.

"We actually encourage homeowners to do it themselves, but we try to tell them what they can do. If it goes bad, it can up end costing them in the long run, either financially or with their health," Lawrence said.

Any homeowners choosing to do some cleanup on their own should always wear gloves and a mask to protect themselves, Lawrence said.

Residents trying to control water damage to their belongings should move furniture to a higher level in their home.

"At least get them up off the floor where they're soaking in moisture," Lawrence said. "People have a lot to deal with, they shouldn't have to refurnish their entire homes."

For residents dealing with flooded basements or sewer backups, Lawrence said they should put a plastic barrier between the lower level and their upstairs living quarters. Close any heating and air-conditioning units that circulate to the main level, too, he added.

While business last week for Lawrence was mostly residents needing assistance with water damage, this week, he said, he's been getting more requests to rid residences of mold.

At the home of Dan Kurtz, a small leak in the lower-level bathroom that went unnoticed for years has cost the Cape Girardeau resident $5,000 and possibly caused some serious health issues. Black mold had spread throughout Kurtz's walls and was discovered recently after more than 15 inches of rain fell in the area.

His problem was not suitable to take care of on his own, Kurtz said.

"It was that bad," he said. "I didn't really know what it was. I started getting all types of sinus infections and spent over $300 on medicine."

He and his wife are now both suffering from respiratory infections and are living at the Super 8 motel until Lawrence and his crew are finished restoring his home.

"It's the hardest work I've ever seen. They scrubbed all the black stuff with bleach," Kurtz said.

Black mold, according to Lawrence, is dangerous to clean up without the help of a professional. While it may appear to be easily removed from walls, Lawrence said it's removing it from the air that's most difficult.

"Once it contaminates the air, it'll start recollecting and growing again," he said. "We suit up, and we wear respirators. A lot of it can kill you if you have respiratory problems already."

Residents and business owners who sustained losses in the designated counties were eligible to begin applying for assistance on Wednesday by registering online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-3362. Residents seeking information on claims regarding flood cleanup can log on to www.insurance.mo.gov. Illinois residents should visit www.insurance.illinois.gov.

ehevern@semissourian.com

388-3635

Pertinent address:

1743 Rampart St., Cape Girardeau, MO

26650 Illinois 3, Olive Branch, IL

1763 June Lane, Jackson, MO