One important step during the mold remediation process is determining which of your possessions can be restored and which cannot. This is typically a very difficult part of the process for homeowners since it involves making decisions about keeping or getting rid of valuable possessions. Fortunately, you are not alone in this process. Our team of certified restoration experts at All About Contents in Dallas, Georgia is here to help you make these decisions and know what can and can’t be saved.
There are a few characteristics that if an item has, it will probably need to be thrown away. These are porousness and if the item was fully submerged in floodwater. Thus, any possessions you have that are porous or were completed submerged under the floodwater will probably be beyond saving. Porous items that usually need to be thrown away are cardboard, carpet, padding, stuffed animals, upholstery, and mattresses. Other items that usually need to be thrown out are paper products (including books) and all food items.
Though it may be hard to lose some possessions, you can take heart in knowing that most things can be saved after a flood and exposure to mold. The items that are the easiest to clean are those that have a solid surface like glass, plastic, and metal.
Fabric clothing can also be saved in most cases. It simply needs to be washed with laundry detergent as soon as possible. The sooner it is washed after sustaining the damage the better. Although washing fabric clothing will remove the mold and contaminants, there is no guarantee it will be returned to its original condition. That is why it is important to wash clothes as soon as possible.
Larger electronics and appliances that experienced some mold exposure but weren’t under water are possible to save with cleaning. However, moisture or mold can still damage appliances’ electronic systems. For example, a hard drive may be removed from a computer and salvaged, but the drive could suffer damage if you power it on while in a computer with damaged circuitry. Consult a professional about these items.
Your possessions are not worth risking your safety over. It is important to begin the content cleaning process as soon as possible, but only when it is safe to do so. There a couple different reasons to be concerned for your health after a flood and subsequent mold outbreak. First, the floodwater itself is likely to carry some harmful biological contaminants. In serious cases, these contaminants can cause serious diseases like cholera, diphtheria, and other serious diseases. Second, mold spores can have harmful side effects when inhaled. Thus, you should take care not to come into contact with any floodwater and wear respiratory protection to avoid inhaling dangerous mold spores.
Content restoration is a stressful and emotional process. We hope you will now be better prepared for the content restoration process if you ever have to go through it. Don’t hesitate to give us a call at All About Contents in the Dallas, Georgia area for professional help!
