Mold worries plague region

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Mold worries plague region

Recent flooding, humidity bring cleanup concerns

By Laren

Staff Writer

The Daily Times

http://www.delmarvanow.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?

AID=/20060717/NEWS01/607170303

SEAFORD -- Hibbs' Seaford property has flooded twice in the

past eight years and with every rising tide he worries that the damp

conditions around his home will become a breeding ground for mold

spores.

" I'm worried about mold. If it gets in your house you can forget

about it, " he said. " It's been known to cause sicknesses, and I've

heard of people having to abandon their homes and reconstruct. "

A few weeks after Delmarva was deluged with rainfall, mold

professionals report an increase in business as residents like Hibbs

tidy up their properties.

Meloro owns AAA Dry Foam Professional Cleaning, a mold

remediation business in Rehoboth Beach.

" It took a few weeks because people were filing claims with their

insurance companies, but with the rainfall and humidity, things are

picking up, " he said. " We've been extremely busy. "

Meloro, who provides services to homeowners in land and

Delaware, said he has seen hundreds of mold types on Delmarva: some

that have caused residents to exhibit allergy symptoms or severe

illnesses.

" There are hundreds of molds, without a doubt, " he said. " They find

new spores all the time. "

Health concerns

Dr. Ritchie Shoemaker, a Pocomoke City physician and mold

specialist, said about 24 percent of the population has a genetic

susceptibility to toxins and can experience prolonged sickness from

mold exposure.

" These patients will develop a multisymptom illness, " he said. " When

they leave the building (where mold is located), they won't improve

over a weekend or the summer. The illness does not change. "

In the last five years, Shoemaker has diagnosed 3,500 people with

mold-related illnesses and he expects to diagnose many more with the

same illness in the coming months.

" You're going to have a significant increase in the number of

patients with multiple health symptoms within two to three months

from (the flooding that) happened in Seaford, " he said.

After finding mold in her partially flooded basement a few weeks

ago, Salisbury resident Louise Nock began thinking about its

potential affects on her health.

" If it spreads, it's dangerous, " said Nock, who used bleach and

water to clean the mold from her basement walls. " Once it starts,

it's hard to stop. You have to catch it early. "

And the same goes for treatment. Shoemaker suggests individuals

experiencing allergy-like symptoms see a physician within six months

of exposure.

The first signs of a mold-related illness is generally a cough and

some mucus production, said Randolph, a physician assistant

certified at Salisbury Immediate Care on Route 113.

That can be followed by a constant feeling of fatigue and shortness

of breath that can be so severe the patient must be medicated for

several months.

Randolph, who has been practicing for seven years, said she

typically prescribes allergy medicine to patients who exhibit those

symptoms. If their conditions don't improve, she sends them to a

specialist for further testing.

" By the time they see the starting signs, they know the mold is

already in the house, " she said. " The only way to get better is to

clean the mold out of your house or find another place to live. "

Remediation

Seaford resident English's home was one of many that flooded

a few weeks ago. He and his family have been working diligently to

repair their home and get things back to normal.

" The water rushed in the window like (through an open) dam. It was

up to the roof of the basement, " he said. " It took a few days to get

the water out, but it's still wet down here. You can smell the

mildew. "

Because the flood water in his basement did not quickly recede,

Meloro said it is highly likely that mold will form.

" If you do have flooding in a basement you want to clean it dry

within 24 to 48 hours, " he said. " If you do that, most of the time

you will be mold-free. "

If mold does develop and is contained to a space less than 100

square feet, a mixture of 10 percent bleach and 90 percent water can

be effective to rid the area of mold, Meloro said.

He recommends purchasing a mask, available at most hardware stores,

to prevent chemical inhalation.

If a space is greater than 100 square feet, Meloro said that's when

homeowners should contact a professional.

When called, the company should dampen the area and use a HEPA

vacuum to collect the spores. In some cases, mold develops between

the walls, and drywall has to be removed.

Mold most frequently develops in crawl spaces, Meloro said. In that

case, dehumidifiers are installed and drain spouts are directed away

from the home.

" It doesn't matter where you are, if there's moisture and humidity,

you're going to have it, " said Meloro, who recommends fixing the

moisture source immediately after the mold is removed.

Residential remediation costs can range from $650 to $60,000, Meloro

said.

" You can't see the spores, but mold is everywhere, " he

said. " Outside it cleans itself, but when it gets inside it becomes

an issue. "

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