SAN DIEGO — Mold is spreading like webs across windows and mushrooms are sprouting from walls.
After the flood ravaged homes one week ago, restoration experts say they have been inundated with calls. Professional remediation is critical to tackle floods before the mold gets out of control. If left untreated, it can be even more costly.
Inside many homes on South 42nd Street, industrial fans are on overdrive, drywall has been ripped from walls, tile and carpeting has been pulled from floors and debris is piled up on streets in Mountain View.
“Anything that’s touched, kitchen cabinets need to be removed, you know, that could be contaminated. So, it comes to a big shock,” said Richie Barlow, owner of Might Dry Fire and Flood.
He said his crew has been working overtime since last week’s flood.
“Just because it looks dry doesn't mean it's necessarily dry. That's where we have moisture meters and infrared cameras, you stick an infrared on a wet area, it lights up like a Christmas tree. And then obviously drywall sometimes like oh, it's dry, it feels dry. It's not,” said Barlow.
It’s also not cheap, especially if you overlooked your homeowner’s insurance policy. It can cost $5,000 to $200,000 or more to restore your home after a flood.
Barlow recommends before each renewal; homeowners need to get on the phone with your agent and review their policy.
“Everything does need to be cut out. But when we get to these poor people’s homes, and we basically say, hey, let’s review your policy, 90% of them don’t have flood insurance,” said Barlow.
Barlow says kitchens can be deceiving and are often havens for mold growth.
“Your kitchen is like a big sandwich, you’ve got drywall, you’ve got cabinets and mold can get up in there, and it can incubate and grow and you're going to have a big issue. That's why we remove it all to stop mold growth.,” said Barlow. “And then we would bio wash and clean, sanitize and dry and then it can be put back together.”
More health problems possible if mold is left untreated
Barlow said there is no cutting corners to cut costs. If left untreated it could cause bigger health problems.
“Just the air, the smell and we know has bacteria in the air and everything else so we need all the protection we can get,” said resident Dale Davis.
Ventilation and cleaning out the inside the house are critical to stopping mold growth. But there were homes on South 42nd Street that had new drywall in its garage.
With another storm expected this week, Barlow suggests holding off on renovations.
“If we have a job and I know that it’s going to flood again, leave it you know, if you can’t stop the water coming in, it’s going to intrude and you have exactly the same problem,” said Barlow.
The mayor says FEMA Administrator Fenton confirmed that the FEMA Region 9 team and California Office of Emergency Services (OES) are currently on the ground, surveying and inspecting the region’s initial damage estimates.
If you have been impacted by the floods you can fill out a voluntary damage survey. This will not guarantee direct assistance but help in securing government funds to help with recovery efforts.
WATCH RELATED: Volunteers, city crews in southeast San Diego help homeowners recover from flood damage (Jan. 29, 2024)