Recovering from Harvey When ‘You Already Live a Disaster Every Day of Your Life’ – The Washington Post

This well-written Washington Post piece describes: “the stench permeating the neighborhood,” much of which is from mold. This is an excellent account of the mold hazards people face after a hurricane or flood. Many chemically intolerant or TILTed patients became ill after a major mold exposure. For some sensitive individuals, thereafter, even a “whiff” of mold VOCs (which constitute the mold odor our noses can detect at very low levels) can make them feel dizzy, give them headaches, trigger asthma, and precipitate other symptoms – cite qeesi, our website etc.  This susceptibility can last a lifetime. Poor families faced with floods and mold often lack the means to move, as this piece describes so vividly. After porous materials like bedding, carpet and books/ papers get wet, they must be bone dry in 48-72 hours to prevent mold growth. Rapid drying is not possible with a major flood like Harvey where home interiors remain wet for days and weeks. To read the original Washington Post story click here.

 

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