Tips from State of Louisiana Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness on How to Clean Home or Business
Governor's Office Warns of Mold Danger
Mold Removal Guidelines For Your Flooded Homes

There are several Baton Rouge companies offering mold testing and providing tips on mold remediation and clean-up efforts on homes. According to local home protection and pest control company Advantage Services, mold and bacteria have ideal breeding grounds in the warm, damp flooding areas of Baton Rouge and surrounding parishes. Exposure to these harmful organisms may affect health, and the CDC warns that "molds can cause nasal stuffiness, throat irritation, coughing or wheezing, eye irritation, or, in some cases, skin irritation." Contact with mold and harmful bacteria may cause severe reactions for those with weaker immune systems, children, and the elderly.

According to Clear Restoration, in order to grow, mold needs both water and a food source, both of which are readily available should your home or business sustain water damage. Furthermore, due to our region’s high humidity, mold growth often occurs in homes and businesses without properly function HVAC systems and/or insufficient insulation. Having excess water in your home or business is a major concern because water that saturates your walls can weaken structures, create an ideal environment for mold, and cause odor. The real problem, however, is that water damage left untreated can become a health hazard to you and any others occupying the space. By utilizing in-place drying techniques, water damage restoration process focuses on saving and restoring your property back to its original condition before the water infiltrated your property in the first place.

Salvant Environmental Services uses only products labled for control of MOLD, wood destroying fungi, bacteria and algae, as the company applies two treatments: (1)Application of a high-strength disinfect approved to work with the Mold Care applied to the exposed wood framing in  homes. This treatment also prepares the surface for the application of the MOLD control product; and (2)Application of Bora Care Mold control to the exposed wood framing of home, preventing mold and wood decay organisms as long as the wood stays in service.

The LaHouse Resource Center is putting together a Mold Control and Remediation Training course and seminar that satisfies the initial training requirement for a Louisiana Mold Remediation Contractor license. The course will be held Aug. 29-31 and Sept. 12-14. Visit www.lslbc.louisiana.gov for more information.