OLATHE, Kan. — After historic flooding hit the Midwest, many people are dealing with clean up.
If parts of your home or business were flooded, there's a good chance you could end up with a mold problem.
Greg Marsden of Frontier Restoration said this time of year has been busy for his business.
"Obviously this time of the year there's a lot of moisture in the air and flooding," Marsden said.
Frontier Restoration does many things including clean up and mold remediation. Things many people to the north of Kansas City are dealing with right now.
"Usually it only spreads to the areas where the contents are perfect, which is the right moisture content and the right temperature," he said. "It likes dark, damp areas."
Marsden said it takes at least 72 hours for mold to even begin to develop. Using household items like Lysol and bleach won't kill it and could actually make the problem worse.
After a flooding event, the first thing you should do is get the water out. The sooner you can dry the area out, the better.
"You have to be thorough, including, sometimes depending on how long the area has been wet, even cutting material out: carpet, pad, dry wall, insulation," Marsden said.
Then it's time to call in the experts, including an air quality specialist that can test for mold and other bacteria.
"A lot times again people think that they have something dry, but we have meters and we have equipment that can detect moisture in areas that you can't see with the naked eye," he said.
Often times, signs of mold won't show up right away and could take months to form.
Marsden said to look out for odors and any symptoms you could be suffering from. He said if there's one room in your home where you experience sneezing, runny nose, or watery eyes, there could be a problem and you should have an expert check it out.
It doesn't matter if your home is old or new. Marsden said bacteria can grow almost anywhere. Depending on the problem, it could take days or even weeks to remove.
