As the flood waters begin to recede, many people returning home find that the real work has just begun. During this hour on Talk of Iowa, home improvement expert Bill McAnally offers some advice for those affected by the recent floods.
After being submerged in water for days, it can be an extremely daunting task getting a home back to livable conditions
“First people need to understand that the type of water that comes down the river is dirty, slimy, and has picked up a lot of things along its way," says McAnally about the flood water. “And now that water has been on everything.”
McAnally suggests buying protective gear such as gloves, goggles and respirators to wear inside the home. Because the house has been in contact with water, also McAnally says there is no chance that mold hasn’t formed yet.
“One of the biggest wastes of money is buying a mold test.” McAnally says.
Eventually, the house needs to get completely dried out.
“You need to open everything up,” McAnally says. “Everything that’s wet has to get outside.”
“A lot of people will try to dry things out by turning on the furnace and utilize the duct work inside the house. That’s one of the worst things you can do, because that will pull mold spores out and spread them around the house,” warns McAnally.
He suggests increasing circulation by arranging fans to move air in a circular pattern around the house.
