Mold Clean Up Tips from the CDC Shared with Residents of Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico’s tropical climate, with its high humidity levels, hurricanes and tropical storms, can be especially conducive for the growth of mold in homes, businesses and schools. However, even in the dry zones of the islands, something as small as a minor plumbing leak that goes unnoticed can also result in mold contamination and exposure concerns.
 
While mold is indeed a natural part of the environment, exposure to elevated levels of it indoors can be a problem. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that mold can cause many health effects, including stuffy nose, sore throat, coughing or wheezing, burning eyes or a skin rash. The agency also states that people with asthma or who are allergic to mold may have severe reactions, and that immune-compromised people and people with chronic lung disease could even get lung infections from mold. Certain molds are also toxigenic, meaning they can produce toxins known as mycotoxins. 
 
Property managers and owners that do encounter mold growth should contact a qualified indoor environmental professional to assess the situation and root cause, ensure it is properly removed, and to prevent it from returning. When a small mold issue is discovered that is going to be handled by a DIYer, CDC has published 8 Tips to Clean Up Mold. It includes the following:

1. Protect yourself - Put on personal protective equipment (gloves, mask and goggles) to protect your eyes, nose, mouth and skin.
2. Toss! - Take it out! Anything that was wet with flood water and can’t be cleaned and dried out completely within 24 to 48 hours should be taken outside. Take photos of discarded items for filing insurance claims.
3. Air it out - Open all doors and windows when you are working, and leave as many open as you safely can when you leave.
4. Circulate - When electricity is safe to use, use fans and dehumidifiers to remove moisture.
5. Don’t mix cleaners - If you use cleaning products, do not mix cleaning products together. DO NOT mix bleach and ammonia because it can create toxic vapors.
6. Scrub surfaces - Clean with water and a detergent. Remove all mold you can see. Dry right away.
7. Don’t cover it, remove it - Painting or caulking over mold will not prevent mold from growing. Fix the water problem completely and clean up all the mold before you paint or caulk.
8. Dry it up - Dry your home and everything in it as quickly as possible – within 24 to 48 hours if possible.

“Even if the mold contamination is small in scale, it’s critical to understand what caused its growth so it doesn’t come back,” said Harry Pena, President of Zimmetry Environmental. “Controlling moisture and humidity are key to preventing indoor mold growth. This is why the expertise of building science and indoor environmental quality (IEQ) professionals is so important. For almost two decades, the experts at Zimmetry have been offering mold and IEQ testing, along with building inspections and consulting services to help ensure any problems are handled properly and are not going to return. These services are available across Puerto Rico and throughout the Caribbean.”   
 
Zimmetry has also sponsored an educational video discussing the CDC’s mold clean up tips that can be seen at: https://youtu.be/U8MB2eW1bhc
 
To learn more about Zimmetry Environmental and their mold, water damage, indoor air quality, environmental, compliance and consulting services, please visit www.zimmetry.com, call (787) 995.0005 or email info@zimmetry.com .
 
About Zimmetry Environmental
Since 2002, Zimmetry Environmental has been providing environmental consulting services to building owners and managers, architects, engineers, EHS professionals, and Fortune 500 companies. The company is based in Puerto Rico and provides services across the Caribbean and Central America. The professionals at Zimmetry offer environmental compliance, indoor air quality, asbestos, lead-based paint, Phase I ESAs, and general environmental consulting services.

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