The likelihood of finding mold in households and properties increases drastically due to water damage caused by flooding, backed-up sewage, leaks, damp spaces, overflows or high humidity caused by a typhoon or hurricane. The Federal Emergency Management Agency, in collaboration with the CNMI government, encourages the community to take the following precautionary information and measures to ensure that their homes do not pose an immediate threat due to molding post-super typhoon Yutu. <\/p>\n
Medical risks with molding <\/strong> Mold poses a direct threat particularly to those with existing health issues such as asthma, allergies or respiratory problems; nasal, sinus and cough congestion; eyes, nose and skin irritation; nervous system issues; aches and pains; and other related medical conditions and symptoms. <\/p>\n Infants, children, elderly and those with weak immune systems are also susceptible to the hazardous effects of molding in homes and are encouraged to stay away from moldy sites until it has been completely removed. <\/p>\n Mold removal <\/strong> If possible, mold should be removed professionally. If you must remove the mold yourself, the following tips should be sufficient in removal and repair of your homes, establishments and properties: <\/p>\n \u2022 Use the right cleaning materials\u2014Trash bags, sponge, rags, scrub brush, broom, mop, buckets, correct cleaning products such as detergent and other necessary materials. Circulate Air <\/strong> For more information regarding preventing molding after a natural disaster, visit https:\/\/www.fema.gov. (PR)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The likelihood of finding mold in households and properties increases drastically due to water damage…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":28,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[26,55,190],"class_list":["post-287929","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-local-news","tag-cnmi","tag-health-2","tag-natural"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/287929","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/28"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=287929"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/287929\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=287929"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=287929"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=287929"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nMold spores or molding are caused by high humidity, moisture, and water and can easily be distributed in the air due to their microscopic size. It can cause a variety of health issues to anyone if not immediately removed after a disaster. <\/p>\n
\nMolding occurs within the first 24-48 hours after contamination if not tended to immediately after a typhoon and can also occur despite no visible damages to your property. All contaminated materials and properties that cannot be cleaned and dried should be removed and thrown away. <\/p>\n
\n\u2022 Wear protective gear\u2014Protective eye masks\/goggles, filter facemasks, gloves, long sleeved shirts, long pants, waterproof boots and other gear that will help you avoid contact with mold.
\n\u2022 Dry the structure\u2014Ensure all doors and windows are open to let the air out for at least 30 minutes before you stay any length of time.
\n \u2022 Open inside doors, especially closets and interior rooms.
\n \u2022 Open all cabinets and wipe them clean. <\/p>\n
\n\u2022 Use fans and dehumidifiers when safe. Position fans to blow air out through doors and windows. \u00b7 Remove All Contaminated Materials
\n\u2022 Locate all contaminated structure materials and personal property. Remove and dispose of anything that was wet and can\u2019t be cleaned and dried completely.
\n\u2022 Clean the property\u2014Clean with water and detergent to remove all visible molds. Do not mix cleaning products together, such as bleach and ammonia because it can create toxic vapors. After cleaning, immediately take a shower and change your clothes as soon as possible to avoid carrying mold to your living quarters.
\n\u2022 Repair the property\u2014Do not paint or caulk over mold, as it will not prevent it from growing. All molds must be removed and all areas must be disinfected before repairs can be done. <\/p>\n