Q. I live in Mississippi on the Gulf Coast, 2 miles inland.  My home is 30 inches off the ground and I have insulated the bottom of the floor two years ago.  I am now considering bricking up around the sides and putting at least two vents between each pillar to have the cross flow when the vent are open.  If I do have this bricked in would it cause mold or condensation to form on the insulation.  Right now it is a free flow all the time. [December 6, 2005]

      A. Your proposed construction plan is good to help prevent water and mold problems, but here are some suggestions for additional steps. 1. Add waterproofing compound to the cement you use to put the bricks together. 2. On the inside of the brick walls, apply a thick stucco surface of cement and waterproofing compound. 3. Make sure there is NO present mold growth in the crawl space, and be sure to mold test the air of the crawl space and your entire house and its heating/cooling system with do it yourself mold test kits. 4. Install a cement floor in the crawl space area with waterproofing compound mixed into the concrete to make the cement floor an absolute barrier to water penetration [wicking up] from the ground below.  5. Spray onto all crawl space timbers, flooring, etc. at least two wet, heavy sprayings of the EPA-registered fungicidal coating.

        Q. I am trying to salvage what I can from Hurricane Katrina. 1. What do you recommend to clean mold from the inside and outside of suede boots and shoes? 2. Some of my clothes are still wet but I can't see any mold. Is it safe to let them dry out and then have them dry cleaned? 3. Are dishes that were not in the flood water safe to salvage and how should they be cleaned? 4. What should be used to treat the house once it is gutted? Everyone is using bleach, but now I hear that bleach is not enough? [Nov. 30, 2005]
        A. Here are the answers to your good mold questions: 1. Use multi-enzyme action mold cleaner. 2. Dry clean dry cleanables as soon as possible. Washables should be washed several times with Borax laundry detergent, a natural mold cleaner, in warm water. 3. Wash the dishes with Borax, as mentioned above. 4. Bleach is ineffective for killing mold. Learn why at Bleach and Mold. Learn the 25 steps for safe and effective mold remediation.

       Q. I have a house that has been under water for eleven day form the effects of hurricane Katrina. The house had a lot of furniture left in it. The long and short of it the house has had moisture in it for about sixty five day and the mold has grown everywhere except the attic. I have pulled all of the sheetrock off of the walls and let the house open for almost a week. Should I remove the ceilings? Can this expose the mold to the attic?  I have been told to use a solution of bleach and water to remove the mold, along with pressure washing the wood in the inner walls. Other people are telling me to have the house professional cleaned.  I have major concerns of the mold returning after the sheetrock has been hung. [Nov. 12, 2005]
       A. It is probably very advisable to remove the ceilings because moisture and mold may have reached the ceiling because of the moldy walls and high indoor humidity during the flood. Do not use ineffective bleach to kill mold. Learn why at Bleach Mold. If you want to protect both your family health and home investment, read and follow the 25 steps for safe and effective mold remediation.

        Q. We live in Metairie, LA, and had a foot of water in our home as a result of Hurricane Katrina.  Our house has been gutted on the first floor up to above where the mold and mildew was growing.  We are concerned about the ducts in our home.  We are had a hole in our roof where the heater vent blew off; we're having to replace the air conditioning unit, etc.  The contractor who ripped out the walls and some ceilings, sprayed and dryed it, but my husband and I are still concerned, but most of the people we speak to do not seem to be concerned since the gutting process. [November 1, 2005]
       A. Removing and discarding mold-infested building materials was a wise step on your part in response to the Katrina-caused mold problem. But you also need to use mold fungicides and mold preventatives on cleaned out areas prior to closing in the areas with new building materials. Read the 25 steps for safe and effective mold remediation.You can test the ducts in your home by operating the heating/cooling system on fan ventilation with mold test kits at each duct register outlet to collect samples of the outward air flow. Read about heating/cooling duct and equipment mold inspection..  

        Q. My house in Orange, Texas, is undamaged by Hurricane Rita, but there will be no power or water for several weeks and I am not permitted to resume residence. What should I do to prevent mold formation?    

       Q.  My home in Metairie, a suburb of New Orleans, recently got at least one foot of water within some parts of the home. During a visit to my property to salvage and do some preliminary clean-up about a week after the hurricane hit, the mold that was festering was of a white color and growing in small clumps on furniture and up the walls near where the water line was (the water had since receded out of the home). We have a meeting with an insurance agent in regards to my home owner's policy. What would it take for the mold in my home to cause the government or my insurance agency to declare the home condemned? [Sept. 14, 2005]
       A. You need to do know what your policy provides in insurance benefits for mold damage resulting from Hurricane Katrina flooding. Read your policy very carefully. Discuss the policy provisions with your insurance agent. You would also benefit big-time by hiring an independent insurance adjuster on a commission basis [of what is collected from the insurance company] to try to collect the most possible under your policy for the substantial water and mold coverage that Hurricane Katrina has caused to your Metairie home. You can safely presume that your home has massive mold growth INSIDE the walls, as well as on the outside surface. You will have to remove and discard all drywall materials at least up to 2 feet above where there is mold growth inside and/or on a particular wall. Read the 25 steps for safe and effective mold remediation. To answer your specific question, if you have substantial, collectable [under your policy] covered insurance damage that exceeds the fair market value of your home [less land and other improvements such as utilities, driveways, etc.], your home might be a good candidate for condemnation. Find out about the contamination guidelines utilized by the Metairie building inspectors, especially in light of the seriousness of the hurricane Katrina flooding.

       Q. My house received 6-8 inches of water from the Katrina hurricane. The local government kept everyone out of the area until 14 days after. The water was out but the mold was on the wall. We removed the carpet and sofa in the living room. On our return to the house to gut it out would our clothes be of any use. Is the mold smell on the clothes a sign of mold growing on the clothing. Please let me know how to remove the odor or should be just throw the clothes away. We will not return again for another 2-3 weeks. [Sept. 13, 2005]
       A. Sorry for the great flood problem recovery problems you face. Scrub the clothes thoroughly with Borax laundry detergent, a natural mold cleaner. If that does not do the job, while the clothes are still wet [rinsed], use the multi-enzyme mold cleaner to remove mold stains and mold odors. A much bigger problem for you is water penetration of the floors and walls that is likely to cause massive mold growth in view of the long extent of the water [more than the 24 hours of wetness required for mold to start growing]. You would be wise to remove the baseboards of all ground floor rooms and do mold inspection and testing INSIDE the walls. Just as you have found mold growth on the surface of the walls, you will find it inside walls and floors that were flooded. Learn do it yourself mold inspection techniques at Mold Inspection Learn the 25 steps for safe and effective mold remediation.

      Q. During the recent hurricane Katrina here in Florida I had a small roof leak. Initially it was a trickle of water down the wall in my daughter's room. I initially thought it was coming in a window as that is where the water first came into the room. I have contacted a roofing co. They have found the leak but due to the high volume of calls I am still waiting for them to come fix the leak. A few days later the ceiling had yellow stains. Last week during a heavy rain, water was leaking from the ceiling near the window & traveling across the ceiling coming out from the ceiling fan in the center of the room. The roofing company told me to poke holes in the corner where the roof leak apparently is located. That did help the water from traveling but it is still coming in the corner. I initially dried the carpet & walls but the room smells musty and I am sure the insulation is wet. Last night we had another heavy rain & within 1 hour the pail was half full (~1 gal. of water). Is there anything I can do to retard the mold growth and musty smell? We have air conditioning on all the time but would a dehumidifer help? Since we really do not have attic space in Florida to crawl up in it is difficult to access the area. I thought of spraying something but I am not sure what would help. Any
suggestions? [Sept. 13, 2005]
       A. Open up the ceiling [in all areas in which the leak may have spread or soaked] from the inside and remove all drywall and insulation affected by the leak resulting from Hurricane Katrina in Florida. You should follow the 25 steps for safe and effective mold remediation. You need to spray a Mold Home Remedies Recipe [make your own effective fungicide---directions are in the special report of the same name at Mold Mart as soon as possible on all water damaged surfaces such as the support timbers in your ceiling.  You would also be helped to mold test the air throughout your home for the possibility of elevated levels of airborne mold spores, in comparison to an outdoor mold control test. Learn mold test kit usage tips in the mold test kit section of Mold Mart. Running a programmable dehumidifier to keep indoor humidity to a mold-discouraging 30 to 40% would be very helpful to slow down any mold growth problems. A good dehumidifier is available at Mold Mart.

       Q. The entire downstairs of our home was flooded in hurricane Katrina.  Do you think that mold would be behind the built-in kitchen cabinets and bookshelves?  Should they all be gutted to remove it? [Sept. 13, 2005]
       A. Sorry that you are a Katrina hurricane mold victim. Expect to find substantial mold growth not only behind and under the kitchen cabinets, but also hidden INSIDE walls, floors, ceilings, and heating/cooling ducts and equipment. Your first step should be the total mold inspection and testing of your home. Follow the tips at mold inspection and in the mold test kit section of Mold Mart. The kitchen cabinets and bookcases will need to be removed not only for mold remediation outdoors of ALL surfaces thereof, but also to facilitate removal of the wall and floor materials for mold inspection and mold removal. Learn the 25 steps for safe and effective mold remediation at mold remediation.

       Q. We live in Ocean Springs, Mississippi,  and our house was flooded with 8 feet of water in Hurricane Katrina.  I have removed all of the cabinets, sheet rock, insulation and carpet and am not sure what to do next.  We do not have power (or an air conditioner that works) so removing all the moisture is difficult.  Do I need to hire someone to spray the house?  If so, who?  Cost is a factor since we have no flood insurance. [Sept. 13, 2005]
       A. Sorry that you became a mold victim of Hurricane Katrina. Your very first step should be to spray all of the timbers, plywood, and remaining, usable building materials with at least two wet sprayings of one of the inexpensive Mold Home Remedy Recipes explained in the special report of the same name at the mold store. Then you need to physically remove all mold growth with hand tools or power tools [when you have electricity restored or from a small electric generator]. The best power tools in removing mold are power planer, power grinder with wire brush attachment, and power sander. Please read carefully and follow the 25 steps for safe and effective mold remediation. You were very wise in removing and discarding the water damaged building materials [one of the 25 necessary steps for mold removal success]. After you have cleaned the wood of all mold growth, spray a home remedy fungicide one more time. After drying of that final fungicidal spraying, apply one or two wet coatings of the EPA-registered fungicidal protective coating.

       Q. We have 5 stores that have been affected by the hurricane in LA. What can you suggest we do as a preventative measure that would not be harmful to our clothing and personnel that would decrease or eliminate the potential of mold growth before it happens.  [Sept. 9, 2005]
       A. You are certainly wise to try to prevent mold growth in the view of the Louisiana Hurricane Katrina. Your first step should be to operate several programmable dehumidifiers in each store area, warehouse area, and office area to substantially reduce the high indoor humidity [made much higher by the massive flooding, with the resulting evaporation and humidity creation] to a mold-discouraging 30 to 40 percent. Buy one of the best programmable dehumidifiers for the money at the mold store. Second, you should be reducing the airborne mold spores in each area of your stores, warehouse, offices, by the use of the Friedrich Air Cleaner, rated the most effective air cleaner by Consumer Reports magazine. The massive flooding is going to create massive mold growth which will generate billions of airborne mold spores to mold cross contaminate most homes and buildings in southern Louisiana with elevated levels of airborne mold spores. Third, you can spray a mold home remedy on walls and ceilings, attic areas, basements, that are out of sight and for which you don't mind having a white protective coating that is the result of spraying an EPA-registered antimicrobial coating on surfaces. Fourth, you should be very vigilant for signs of mold growth anywhere in your stores or on merchandise. Learn the 25 steps for safe and effective mold remediation.

       Q. I live in the area that was hit by Katrina. The residents of Jefferson parish were allowed to come back home to assess damage and collect items and get out until further notice. My house was flooded (about 1 foot of water) and the carpet was wet. We removed the carpet and mop the floors until they were dry. Mold was already present up to one foot in all the walls of the house particularly inside closets. I spray bleach on the moldy parts, however; a friend of mine told me that I was not supposed to do that. He said that that will speed up the process and I will get more mold and it is going to get worse. PLEASE ADVICE ME IN THIS MATTER. I don't know when the adjusters for the insurance company will be in my area to check damage because authorities are not allowing anybody to come into the city. I spray pure bleach in only one closet everywhere else I use the solutions that you can by to clean mildew and mold from bathrooms. [Sept. 10, 2005]
       A. Sorry that you had to become a Katrina mold victim. Bleach is ineffective for killing mold on porous surfaces such as walls, floors, carpeting. Learn why at Bleach Mold Myth. Learn the 25 steps for safe and effective mold remediation. The water will have have soaked the insides of the walls, requiring you to remove and discard the moldy drywall at least two feet higher than the mold infestation height level you find inside the damaged walls. You will need to remove and treat wood flooring that got wet in the flood. Also mold inspect, test, and treat any crawl space or basement for obvious likely mold infestation.

      Q. We are returning to our New Orleans home which has had water in it since Katrina.  Should we bring something to spray on articles that were not ruined and underwater?  We have heard about diluted Clorox and Lysol spray.  Will any of these things serve a real purpose? Are any more or less effective?  Will they ruin things? Please help!  [Sept. 11, 2005]
      A. Sorry that you are having to learn about mold in such a terrible way as Hurricane Katrina. Bleach and Lysol are ineffective to control mold infestation problems. Read all about why bleach won't kill mold on porous surfaces such as building materials at Bleach and Mold. You can kill present mold growths by using a Mold Home Remedy Recipes You should then spray an EPA-registered protective fungicidal coating. Learn the 25 steps for safe and effective mold remediation.

      Q. I have a 50+ year old home in Gulfport  that survived Hurricane Katrina. However, there was roof damage resulting in several leaks:--- ceiling & attic insulation fell thru to floor--- ceiling area that is soaked (rusty looking water stains on carpet below) and appears ready to fall thru anytime--- several ceiling areas that are water stained with current indications of mold/mildew. House is now in quarantined area due to contamination from rotting food, bodies, etc. What is best way to test for toxic mold before trying to repair house?  Note that it may be several weeks before contractors would be available to begin repairs.    Owner access is restricted during this time with possibility for brief interim visits to property on a case by case basis. We were very fortunate compared to thousands of others that we are alive and house was left structurally sound.  However, we are concerned about future health hazards.
      A. Your first step to save your home form Hurricane Katrina mold damage is to spray at least two separate sprayings of a mold home remedy on all surfaces such as ceilings, walls, floors, inside the attic, basement, crawl space, inside heating/cooling ducts, etc. to kill all mold spores and mold growths in those areas. You don't need to use electricity---use a hand-pumped garden sprayer [about $40] from a large hardware store or department store to spray the fungicide. Your second step in Katrina mold remediation should be to remove and discard all water damaged [and thus likely mold-infested] building materials. Not only do you need to remove these damaged areas to stop mold growth therein, but also the removal will facilitate your inspection and detection of mold growth inside the walls, ceilings, etc. on structural timbers that can be mold remediated. Learn the 25 steps for safe and effective mold remediation. You should mold inspect and mold test your entire home using the tips provided at Mold Inspection.

     Q. My son is in college in New Orleans - Fortunately he got out before Hurricane Katrina but he left behind all of his books, clothes and pictures.  His room is on the second floor so it did not flood but the basement flooded and the building had a mold problem even before the hurricane.  We will not be able to get back there for at least a month.  Is there any hope for his clothes and books?  Is there a potential problem of spreading mold if we remove his stuff to our house? [Sept. 6, 2005]
     A. It is likely that the high indoor humidity arising from the flood plus the spread of large numbers of airborne mold spores both from the immediate building and neighboring buildings [that will all become mold hells] will cause mold problems in regard to your son's property. Try to wash off all items [when you have access to them] with a damp cloth wet with Borax laundry detergent, a natural mold cleaner. Of course the clothes can be washed with Borax.

      Q. My friends’ house got flooded with sea water during the hurricane.  I hear the water was about five feet deep for several hours. What should my friends do now? [Sept. 7, 2005]
      A. Any water damaged building materials caused by Hurricane Katrina should be removed and discarded because such wet materials are likely to have mold growth inside and on the materials. In addition, removing such water damaged materials makes it easier for visual inspection, mold inspection, and mold testing inside walls, ceilings, floors, and the heating/cooling ducts and equipment. As to actual mold growth on structural building timbers and on building materials that are moldy but not ruined water damage-wise, your friends should follow the 25 steps for safe and effective mold remediation at Mold Removal. An initial spraying of an EPA-registered fungicide should be made on all surfaces such as ceilings, walls, floors, and home furnishings for an immediate mold kill to slow down the rate of mold growth to allow time for thorough mold inspection, testing, and remediation. The entire home should be mold tested with do it yourself mold test kit, available or with a Certified Mold Inspector.