Water Damage and Your Health
From small appliance leaks to large-scale natural disasters, any type of water damage can jeopardize your health if you don’t deal with it immediately. Long-term water damage may lead to unpleasant odors, poor indoor air quality, toxic mold growth, and a host of other problems that make for unsanitary living and working conditions.
In this article, we’ll examine the most common kinds of water damage and how you can restore a healthy environment to your home or office if you happen to find yourself up an indoor creek without a paddle.
If you notice condensation on walls or windows, or if you smell a musty odor, then your indoor humidity is likely too high. You can reduce humidity levels and guard against hidden water damage and mold growth by running a small dehumidifier constantly. You should also place plastic vapor barriers on any open earth in crawlspaces or basements to prevent moisture build-up.
If your home or office is flooded, remove the water and dampness as soon as possible. You may need to use water pumps, extractors, air movers, and dehumidifiers. If you cannot get started immediately, call for professional help. As with dirty water leaks, you'll want to wear protective gear and disinfect the area thoroughly after it's dry. Afterward, set up an air scrubber to clean the air.
Floodwater is notorious for causing mold growth. Many people simply cannot clean up the water fast enough. Mold can damage building materials as well as respiratory systems. The infamous “Katrina cough“ popped up after widespread flooding caused by Hurricane Katrina. Because of a high level of mold spores and other contaminants in the air, this respiratory illness spread rapidly among the residents of New Orleans.
If water damage is not dealt with immediately, mold spores may continue to haunt a building for years, causing allergic reactions, asthma, sinus congestion, and irritations of the eyes, nose, and throat. Mold has been implicated in several cases of “sick building syndrome.“ Mold spores can also lead to fungal infection, where the spores grow and multiply inside the body.
Toxic mold, or black mold, is another cause for concern. Some molds, such as Stachybotrys chartarum, produce toxins known as mycotoxins. Mycotoxins may cause an array of health problems and even death. Toxic mold often grows in flood-damaged areas that have not been properly cleaned and disinfected.
In this article, we’ll examine the most common kinds of water damage and how you can restore a healthy environment to your home or office if you happen to find yourself up an indoor creek without a paddle.
High Indoor Humidity
Certain indoor spaces, like basements and crawlspaces, often have high humidity levels. When indoor humidity is too high, moisture in the air will condense on surfaces in the form of water. Sometimes this water appears out of sight – behind walls or above ceiling tiles, for instance. This type of water damage is often difficult to detect, and it can easily lead to mold growth and structural damage. Indoor mold can cause allergies, asthma, and other respiratory problems.If you notice condensation on walls or windows, or if you smell a musty odor, then your indoor humidity is likely too high. You can reduce humidity levels and guard against hidden water damage and mold growth by running a small dehumidifier constantly. You should also place plastic vapor barriers on any open earth in crawlspaces or basements to prevent moisture build-up.
Water Damage in the Bathroom
Since so much water flows through the bathroom, it’s no surprise that this room typically endures the most water damage. Inspect your bathrooms frequently. Replace any missing grout as soon as possible to prevent mold growth in tile. Look for water stains or mold growth under sinks, behind toilets, on ceilings, and elsewhere. If you see signs of water damage but don’t have any leaks, it could be a humidity problem. A small dehumidifier for the bathroom will help. Be sure to always use your exhaust fans in the bathroom, as they will help to keep the humidity low, too.Appliance Leaks – Clean Water Leaks
When a dishwasher, refrigerator, sink, or hot water heater springs a leak, don’t panic. (At least it's clean water!) But you must act fast to avoid serious water damage. First, shut off the water source, then clean and dry the area immediately. Mold begins to grow within 24-48 hours.Plumbing Problems – Dirty Water Leaks
When your toilet overflows or your sump pump fails, foul-smelling, dirty water may flood part of your home or office. Again, you must work quickly to prevent water damage. Safety first: wear long pants and sleeves, rubber boots, gloves, goggles, and a respirator mask. Dry out the area as quickly as possible. To get rid of a large amount of standing water, you'll need to use a heavy-duty water pump. After the area is dry, be sure to clean and disinfect thoroughly to destroy fungi, bacteria, and viruses. You can use Dry-Tech Water Damage Restoration Services (610) 304-5117 http://www.restore-911.comFlooding and Black Water
Floodwater or black water is the most dangerous kind to have in your home. Floodwater may contain raw sewage, chemical waste, and all sorts of infectious microbes. Stay away from floodwater whenever possible. If you come into contact with it, immediately wash with soap and hot water.If your home or office is flooded, remove the water and dampness as soon as possible. You may need to use water pumps, extractors, air movers, and dehumidifiers. If you cannot get started immediately, call for professional help. As with dirty water leaks, you'll want to wear protective gear and disinfect the area thoroughly after it's dry. Afterward, set up an air scrubber to clean the air.
If water damage is not dealt with immediately, mold spores may continue to haunt a building for years, causing allergic reactions, asthma, sinus congestion, and irritations of the eyes, nose, and throat. Mold has been implicated in several cases of “sick building syndrome.“ Mold spores can also lead to fungal infection, where the spores grow and multiply inside the body.
Toxic mold, or black mold, is another cause for concern. Some molds, such as Stachybotrys chartarum, produce toxins known as mycotoxins. Mycotoxins may cause an array of health problems and even death. Toxic mold often grows in flood-damaged areas that have not been properly cleaned and disinfected.
Dry-Techs Here
ReplyDeleteWater damage restoration is the process of restoring a property back to pre-loss condition after sustaining any level of water damage. While there are currently no government regulations in the United States dictating procedures, two large certifying bodies, the IICRC and the RIA, do recommend standards of care. Most companies use the IICRC procedural standard, which is the S500. It is based on reliable restoration principles, research and practical experience with extensive consultation and information gathered from numerous sources. These include the scientific community, the international, national and regional trade associations serving the disaster restoration industry, chemical formulators and equipment manufacturers, cleaning and restoration schools, restoration service companies, the insurance industry, allied trades persons and others with specialized experience. The S500 water damage guide is subject to further revision as developments occur in technology, testing and processing procedures.
ReplyDeleteThe IICRC S500 provides a specific set of practical standards for water damage restoration. It does not attempt to teach comprehensive water damage restoration procedures, rather it provides the foundation and basic principles of proper restoration practices. Prior to specifying the job scope and procedures, the S500 must be reviewed. This is important so that the individual circumstances of each restoration job is taken into account. Users of the S500 must be in pace with technology and follow all rules and regulations of a country whether it may be federal, state, provincial or local law. Federal, State and local laws might also determine who can do the water damage restoration assessment and who can authorize remediation procedures. In British Columbia (Canada) the Insurance Council of British Columbia has determined that an Insurance Adjuster working for an Insurer (to mitigate a loss or potential loss) can authorize restoration efforts on private property even though it may not be a covered peril; but, the Adjuster is not accountable for the outcome of any restoration effort, even if the Insured party was, or could be, knowingly placed in harms way. Each case of a water damage may be unique and common sense may require deviation from the S500.