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Building Entry, Cleanup & Repair After a Flood or other Disaster
Procedures & Checklist Assess, Respond & Minimize Flooded Building Damage, Repair Advice, Mold Prevention
InspectAPedia® -
- Key response steps and a Checklist of actions to protect a building from damage after flooding
- FIRST PRIORITIES: What to Do After a Building Has Been Flooded or Damaged Building repair guidance for people whose building has flooded - first priorities of what to do after a flood
- CHECKLIST for Flood Damage Response & Building Damage Control
- Flood damage assessment, building entry safety, repair priorities
- How to get electrical, heating, air conditioning, water piping, drain piping, septic systems working again after building floods
- Mold prevention for flood-damaged buildings & homes & burst pipe response to minimize mold damage
- How to minimize mold damage after building leaks or flooding: "Anti mold" procedures that work and ones that don't work or are unsafe
- How to clean up, repair & restore a building after flooding, wetting, or other disasters
- FEMA Regional Office Contact Information & Telephone Numbers
- ARC American Red Cross & Other Important Numbers
- FLOOD DAMAGE CLEANUP & REPAIR GUIDE - topic home page
- Questions & Answers about inspecting, cleaning & repairing buildings after flooding from fires, floods, hurricanes, burst pipes, sewer backups, other disasters
- Reference documents specifically for flood & storm damage assessment & cleanup
- References
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InspectAPedia tolerates no conflicts of interest. We have no relationship with advertisers, products, or services discussed at this website.
Flood damage control procedures & checklist: if your building has been flooded, this article series provides an easy to understand guide for flood damage assessment, setting
priorities of action, safety, and we provide special information about
avoiding or minimizing mold damage.
This Building Flood Response Checklist sets priorities for what to do to protect your building from mold contamination after flooding
from a burst pipe or from rising waters and area flooding. These are quick, simple steps to minimize mold damage in a flooded building.
This is the first in our series of building flood damage articles on steps to take to safely enter and repair homes or other buildings after area flooding due to
hurricanes, rising floodwaters, burst pipes, or other water flooding. We discuss safety for people entering flooded buildings, steps to preserve and protect the building from further damage after it has been flooded, how to get mechanical systems up and running again, evaluating for the need for structural repairs, demolition, and cleaning, and avoid mold in a flooded building. Our photograph above shows the authors examining flood conditions in Commonfort, Guanajuato, Mexico.
Green links show where you are. © Copyright 2013 InspectAPedia.com, All Rights Reserved. Author Daniel Friedman.
FIRST PRIORITIES: What to Do After a Building Has Been Flooded
 Hazards in and around flooded buildings include risk of structural collapse, risk of septic system collapse, trip and fall injury hazards, electrical shock hazards, fire and explosion hazards where natural gas or bottled gas are present, toxic sludge and materials containing waterborne bacteria, such as the E. coli and Enterococci bacteria, toxic mold growth indoors.
Listed just below are quick, simple steps to minimize damage in a flooded building.
Separately our "Flood Response Checklist" lists key actions you should take after building flooding to minimize mold damage, and includes some safety warnings.
- If You Have Been Injured seek medical care at the nearest hospital or emergency facility. Floodwaters are often contaminated by sewage and there
is risk of serious infection if wounds are not cleaned and treated.
- Check on Neighbors to see if there are elderly or infant neighbors who are trapped, injured, or otherwise need assistance.
Help a neighbor who may require special assistance--infants, elderly people, and people with disabilities. Elderly people and people with disabilities may require additional assistance.
People who care for them or who have large families may need additional assistance in emergency situations.
- Watch out: DO NOT ENTER a BUILDING in THESE CONDITIONS: (also see BUILDING ENTRY for DAMAGE ASSESSMENT)
- If the building is still flooded: Flood waters often undermine foundations, causing sinking, floors can crack or break and buildings can collapse.
- If there are building collapse hazards: If the building is damaged or has moved off of its foundation: Damage to the building may mean that there is a risk of collapse.
Buildings which have moved off of their foundation - ruptured gas or electrical lines are extremely dangerous. See EARTHQUAKE DAMAGED FOUNDATIONS and FLOOD DAMAGE TO FOUNDATIONS
Even the smallest shift of a building on or off of its foundation, possibly less than an inch, can rupture gas piping or electrical wiring, creating a dangerous condition. See FOUNDATION INSPECTION & DIAGNOSIS and also FLOOD DAMAGE TO FOUNDATIONS
- If there are electrocution hazards: If there are live electrical systems or wires: Where electrical wiring is live and wet or under water or even simply
standing in water or on a wet surface without special protection can lead to a fatal electrical shock. See HOW TO TURN OFF ELECTRICITY in a building that has been wet or flooded and also Electrical Inspection Safety. Below we also warn about use of electrical generators.
- If there are Gas explosion hazards: If there there are damaged, loose, or broken gas piping or other fuel spills that could result in a fire or explosion. Make sure that all of the utilities, electricity, gas, even water, have been safely shut down.
- If the building has not been declared safe: Avoid entering ANY building (home, business, or other) before local officials have said it is safe to do so. Buildings may have hidden damage that makes them unsafe.
- Avoid disaster areas: Your presence might hamper rescue and other emergency operations, and put you at further risk from the residual effects of floods, such as contaminated waters, crumbled roads, landslides, mud flows, and other hazards.
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Crawl space safety warnings
Crawl spaces (or flooded basements) that are unsafe - For a guide to safe entry in building crawl spaces and to areas that should not be entered, see CRAWL SPACE SAFETY ADVICE
Flooded crawl spaces may be contaminated with sewage bacteria, mold, rodents, or chemicals.
Flooded crawl spaces may be in danger from collapse of the structure overhead.
There may be a danger of electrocution in crawl spaces, especially wet ones, if electrical power remains on.
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- Continue to listen to a NOAA Weather Radio: or local radio or television stations and return home only when authorities indicate it is safe to do so. Flood dangers do not end when the water begins to recede; there may be flood-related hazards within your community, which you could hear about from local broadcasts.
- Do not work alone: if you fall or are injured and are alone you may not receive prompt assistance. If you must work alone despite this advice, be sure you have a working radio or cell phone to use to summons assistance
- Drinking water may be unavailable or it may be contaminated. Do not assume that municipal water or water from private wells is safe to drink. See DRINKING WATER - EMERGENCY SOURCES and also DRINKING WATER - EMERGENCY PURIFICATION
- Electrocution hazards: When leaving a building because of impending flooding, leave the electricity turned OFF. Do not turn electricity back on until the building is dry and safe. Using a portable electricity generator in a waterlogged or damaged home in a disaster area after hurricanes, earthquakes, floods can be very dangerous, risking death by electrocution, gas explosion, or by carbon monoxide poisoning. Above we also warned about electrocution hazards in buildings where the electricity has not been shut off.
- Gas leak risks: Watch out for gas leaks in flooded buildings - flooding moves buildings & causes gas line leaks. Do not Smoke Near or Inside Buildings that Have not Been Declared Safe - a ruptured gas line or leaking gas from appliances could cause a gas explosion and fire. Do not smoke inside buildings. Smoking in a confined area can cause a fire or gas explosion. Do not turn electricity back on in a building where gas leaks could be present. Use a sealed flashlight for inspection, not a plug-in light.
- Mold, Muck, Insects, Toxic Sludge & Toxic Dust Hazards exist in flooded or storm damaged buildings - a mixture of household chemicals, paints, stored gasoline, lead, sewer or septic system backup, debris and possibly asbestos. Do not begin cleanup efforts without understanding the hazards that may be present and be sure to use the necessary protective clothing and equipment. See FLOOD RESPONSE CHECKLIST.
We also list after-flood "anti-mold" procedures that do not work or are unsafe - to help you avoid unnecessary expense in dealing with mold
after a building flood.
If your building is already moldy or if you suspect mold related illness in your building, we link to a step by step Mold Action Guide dealing with toxic or allergenic indoor mold and other indoor contaminants:
when and how to inspect or test for mold, when to hire an expert, how to clean up a moldy area, when and how to perform post-remediation mold testing.
How to Prevent Mold Growth After a Building Flood or Burst Pipe
If your building has just been flooded by rising flood waters, a burst pipe, a waste line leak, a sewer backup, or other event,
immediate action may prevent a very costly mold cleanup. Review this
checklist. If your building already has an actual or suspected mold problem, review the Mold Action Guide web pages (seelinks listed at Related Topics ).
If you did not take the steps in "Building Floods" below and are reading this section days or weeks after the
flooding event, a comprehensive building survey for hidden mold or other contaminants may be needed before a full building cleanup plan can be made.
Extensive, technically detailed in-depth articles on other mold detection, testing, and prevention methods are organized at our Mold Information Center.
- Report broken utility lines: such as electrical, gas, water or sewer piping to the appropriate authorities. Reporting potential hazards will get the utilities turned off as quickly as possible, preventing further hazard and injury. Check with your utility company now about where broken lines should be reported.
- Septic system flood hazards: include sewage-contaminated floods in buildings and risk of collapsing septic systems. See Septic & Cesspool Safety; rope off and prevent access to areas over or close to the septic tank until its condition has been investigated. See Septic Flood Response for advice on repairing septic systems that have been flooded. If your septic system has been flooded.
Flood or Disaster Damage Response Checklist for Building Damage Control
 This document lists key actions you should take after building flooding to protect the building from further damage, to get things working again, and to minimize mold damage. We include safety warnings about entering and repairing buildings that have been flooded by storms, hurricanes, burst pipes, or other sources.
We also list after-flood anti-mold procedures that do not work or are unsafe - to help you avoid unnecessary expense in dealing with mold
after a building flood. If your building is already moldy or if you suspect mold related illness in your building, we link to a step by step Mold Action Guide dealing with toxic or allergenic indoor mold and other indoor contaminants:
when and how to inspect or test for mold, when to hire an expert, how to clean up a moldy area, when and how to perform post-remediation mold testing.
If your septic system has been flooded we link to an article outlining what to do about a flooded septic system as well. Extensive, technically detailed in-depth articles on other mold detection, testing, and prevention methods are organized at our Mold Information Center.
As soon as it is safe to do so, respond quickly to building leaks and floods in order to minimize damage to the building. While it may be impossible to safely enter or even inspect a building before waters have receded in areas of major flooding, hurricane or storm damage, as soon as possible the building should be inspected and the steps below begun.
- Before entering a building that has been flooded review BUILDING ENTRY for DAMAGE ASSESSMENT
Watch out:
An initial building survey is needed to assure that a building is safe to enter. Hazards in and around flooded buildings include risk of structural collapse, risk of septic system collapse, trip and fall injury hazards, electrical shock hazards, fire and explosion hazards where natural gas or bottled gas are present, loose or broken gas piping and gas leaks, toxic sludge and materials containing waterborne bacteria, such as the E. coli and Enterococci bacteria, toxic mold growth indoors.
- Stop the water entry or other ongoing damage. Obviously if flood waters are still rising or if a building has already become partly submerged you cannot easily stop water entry. But in other circumstances there are important steps you can take. For example: turn off the main water shutoff valve, nail down tarps to cover openings or leaks in storm-damaged roofing, direct surface runoff away from the building.
- Salvage or protect furnishings or possessions which have not yet gotten wet by moving them to dry areas.
- Remove standing water - this may mean calling the local fire department or other agencies who have special pumping equipment.
- Pump out flooded basements gradually: (about one-third of the water per day) to avoid structural damage. If the water is pumped completely in a short period of time, pressure from water-saturated soil on the outside could cause basement walls to collapse.
- Inspect the building more thoroughly for structural damage and safe entry. See FLOOD DAMAGE TO FOUNDATIONS. Temporary structural reinforcement may be necessary to prevent building collapse before entering some buildings for further inspection or for salvaging contents.
- Remove sludge, mud, and dirt that has accumulated in the building. Beware that often after an area flood such as during a storm or hurricane, public and private sewer backups have left various toxic materials in mud and sludge in and around buildings.
Watch out for contaminated floodwaters or mud: water and mud in flooded buildings may be unsafe to enter due to chemical or bacterial contamination.
See SEWAGE CONTAMINATION IN buildings for discussion of how to test for and remove sewage contaminants from buildings.
Unfortunately, significant mold growth in flooded buildings is likely unless the flood event is small (perhaps a burst pipe) and the damage is discovered and responded-to quickly. This means within 24-48 hours all of the critical steps need to be taken if you want to maximize the chance of avoiding a costly mold cleanup project. In freezing or very cold weather you may have a bit more time.
- Remove wet carpets, furniture, contents, and boxes of wet stored items. Store items to be salvaged from the flooded area outside or in a garage, not in upper floors of the flooded building. Otherwise you
may accidentally carry mold or other contaminants to other building areas.
- Check the building structure and mechanical systems again for safety. Now that there is unobstructed access throughout a building, a more thorough and accurate visual inspection should be performed to look for evidence of building movement or broken, unsafe gas or electrical connections.
- Remove floor trim and lower portions of walls (such as drywall or paneling) (at least 12") and any wall insulation (see FIBERGLASS INSULATION MOLD) , in rooms where the floors
were wet or flooded. Porous materials like drywall or plaster which have been wet cannot effectively be cleaned and should be discarded.
- How Much Drywall to Cut Off After Flooding: If a floor was wet, even if water did not rise up the walls, remove no less than the bottom
12" of drywall as well as any floorboard trim. Water on a floor surface enters and wets the wall cavity and often causes a significant but hidden
problem mold reservoir in the wall cavity.
If mold is visible on a drywall covered wall, remove drywall to no less than 12" above any visible mold,
including inspecting the wall cavity interior for visible mold. Because drywall comes in 4' widths, it is often economical to remove more drywall
than the bare minimum, but to remove it in 4' or 2' increments from the floor as you move upwards.
If removing moldy drywall along a
wall surface where the walls were not wet from below, remove all visibly moldy drywall and in addition to removing drywall for another 12" above
the last visible mold, also remove drywall horizontally for at least one more wall-stud bay. Inspect the back side drywall which has been removed and the
cavity side of drywall which remains in place to be sure there is no visible mold there. (Some writers who advise leaving drywall unless the wall was flooded more than a
few inches are mistaken. Ignore that advice as you'll just be asking for a later hidden mold colony in the wet wall cavity.)
- Remove upper portions of wall coverings (drywall or paneling) higher than 12" if these areas are wet, or if water entered the wall cavity from above.
- Remove ceilings that have been flooded from above, along with ceiling insulation (see FIBERGLASS INSULATION MOLD), regardless of material such as plaster, drywall, or ceiling tiles. Suspended ceiling
tiles which have been wet should also be discarded, and the remaining suspended ceiling tiles removed to permit inspection and drying as well as to
inspect for evidence of water overhead.
- Remove wet materials (such as areas listed above) until you find a 12" or greater area of dry clean margin.
- If mold is already visible or suspected, use containment to avoid air movement from the damaged (moldy) area to other building areas.
Containment (of moldy dust or demolition dust and debris) generally means negative air and poly plastic barriers.
"Negative air" in a moldy or dusty work area: by use of fans blowing outdoors from the work area and plastic barriers at its entry
keep the work area at negative air pressure with respect to the rest of the building. So dust in the work area does not tend to escape to other building areas."Containment" means that plastic barriers are set up and other steps are taken to isolate a moldy or dusty work area from the rest of a building.
- Moldy Surface Cleaning: after rough demolition to remove wet and porous or visibly moldy materials and other items listed above, all remaining
loose dirt and debris should be removed, and the remaining exposed surfaces such as wall studs and framing, masonry walls, floors, plywood sheathing,
should be cleaned to remove all loose and surface debris. Stains in wood do not have to be removed provided there is no remaining surface mold or debris.
- Mold-contaminated Surface Disinfection: after area flooding it is safe practice to assume that septic or sewage contaminants accompanied the floodwaters, so disinfection
of all building surfaces should be part of the cleaning process. However as emphasized above, do not permit the use of disinfectant or fungicidal sprays
to serve as a substitute for removal of all debris and the physical cleaning of dirty or moldy surfaces.
See MOLD CLEANUP with BLEACH for advice on how to mix bleach and water for surface cleaning.
Surface cleaning and disinfection can proceed before the building has been fully dried, but this process cannot be reliably completed until the
building has been dried. Cleaning debris while it is still wet has the advantage of less spreading of mold and pathogens by airborne dust. Cleaning
workers should still be careful to avoid being splashed by dirty water or cleaning fluids.
- Building dryout using dehumidifiers, fans, heaters, to dry the exposed building areas and surfaces. We find that adding simple fans such as box fans or window fans set on floors indoors, and particularly, pointed at wet surfaces, will significantly speed the dryout process far beyond what an indoor dehumidifier can do if used alone. A comparison of the effectiveness of various building dryout procedures is at WATER ENTRY in buildings .
- Flooded Mechanical Systems: Electrical wiring, circuit breakers, fuses, air conditioners, heating boilers, furnaces, water heaters, appliances: inspect & repair flooded electrical equipment, heaters, water heaters. See CORROSION in ELECTRICAL PANELS for warnings about rust and corrosion in electrical equipment. Also, chimneys, flues, and ductwork may be unsafe to use if they have been flooded. See FLOODED HEATING EQUIPMENT REPAIR and FLOODED WATER HEATER REPAIR for safety advice and equipment inspection/repair procedures for heating equipment.
- Inspect upper building areas and dry or ventilate them. Depending on weather conditions ventilation may mean simply opening windows
or use of fans to dry an area. Beware of blowing moist air into a cool building however as that will increase building moisture.
A building attic over a flooded basement is likely to have an excessive moisture level so that area needs inspection and may need venting too.
- Disaster Aid for flood damage: check with your local and state officials, FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Association), and your local chapter of the
American Red Cross to determine if special disaster aid has been made available for people in your area. Your local or state department of
health may also know if assistance is available. The American Red Cross is often on the
scene of floods and other disasters to provide emergency assistance such as clothing, food, and housing.
Continue reading at FLOOD DAMAGE CLEANUP & REPAIR GUIDE for detailed procedurs for wet or flooding basement or building dryout & salvage & cleaning procedures.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
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Questions & answers or comments about entering, inspecting, & repairing buildings after hurricane, flood, or other storm damage
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Technical Reviewers & References
Related Topics, found near the top of this page suggest articles closely related to this one.
- [1] "Repairing your Flooded Home", American Red Cross & FEMA: Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA PO Box 2012, Jessup MD 20794-2012. Printed copies of this book are available from the American Red Cross, from your local Red Cross chapter, or by writing to the address above. Web search 10/4/2010, original source: http://www.redcross.org/www-files/Documents
/pdf/Preparedness/file_cont333_lang0_150.pdf
- [2] The following are available free from:
Federal Emergency
Management Agency
Attn: Publications
P. O. Box 2012
Jessup, MD 20794-2012
- Design Manual for Retrofitting
Flood-prone Residential
Structures, FEMA-114. This
detailed manual explains all the
floodproofing options in language a homeowner can understand.
- Elevated Residential Structures,
FEMA-54.
- Floodproofing Non-residential
Structures, FEMA-102.
- Coastal Construction Manual,
FEMA-55.
- Manufactured Home Installation
in Flood Hazard Areas, FEMA
85.
- [3] The following are available for
free from:
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Attn: CECW-PF
20 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20314
- Introduction to Flood Proofing,
John R. Sheaffer, 1967
- Flood-Proofing Regulations, U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers,
Pittsburgh District, 1990, 80
pages (Corps publication EP
1165 3 314).
- Flood Proofing Systems &
Techniques, L.N. Flanagan,
editor, 1984
- Flood Proofing Tests, Tests of
Materials and Systems for Flood
Proofing Structures, Corps of
Engineers, National Flood
Proofing Committee, August,
1988.
- Raising and Moving the Slab-
On-Grade House, Corps of
Engineers National Flood
Proofing Committee, 1990.
- [4] The following publications are
available from the American Red
Cross. Contact your Red Cross
chapter for more information:
- Your Family Disaster Plan
(ARC 4466)
- Su plan para el hogar en caso de
desastres (ARC 4466S)
- Your Family Disaster Supplies
Kit (ARC 4463)
- Su Equipo de suministros para la
familia en caso de desastres (ARC
4463S)
- Safe Living in Your
Manufactured Home (ARC
4465)
- Are You Ready for a Flood or
Flash Flood? (ARC 4458)
- ¿Está preparado para una inundación or inundación súbita?
(ARC 4458S)
- Are You Ready for a Hurricane?
(ARC 4454)
- ¿Está preparado para un
huracán? (ARC 4454S)
- [5] Clean up References
Many Cooperative Extension
Service offices have home economists and food and farm experts.
Check your telephone book under
the county name. For example, if
you live in Pittsburg County,
check under “Pittsburg County
Cooperative Extension Service”.
- [6] Questions on cleaning or disinfecting of specific materials can be
answered by manufacturers of
cleaning products. Check the
product labels for toll free telephone numbers.
- [7] References on technical aspects
of floodproofing can be located
through the Floodplain
Management Resource Center, a
free service provided by the
Association of State Floodplain
Managers. Call 303/492-6818
- [8] CMHC, Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation, "After the Flood — A Homeowner’s Checklist", retrieved 10/21/2012, original source http://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/en/co/maho/em/em_001.cfm [copy on file as After_The_Flood_CMHC.pdf]
- Mark Cramer Inspection Services Mark Cramer, Tampa Florida, Mr. Cramer is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors and is a Florida home inspector and home inspection educator. (727) 595-4211 mark@BestTampaInspector.com 11/06
- Hankey and Brown home inspectors, Eden Prairie, MN, technical review by Roger Hankey, prior chairman, Standards Committee, American Society of Home Inspectors - ASHI. 952 829-0044 - hankeyandbrown.com 11/06
- Arlene Puentes, a licensed home inspector, educator, and building failures researcher in Kingston, NY. 11/29/06
- Como Reparar su Hogar Inundado American Red Cross and FEMA - PDF - espanol
- Flood Cleanup - Avoiding Indoor Air Quality Problems US EPA Fact Sheet
- Cleaning Up After a Flood Texas Department of State Health Services.
- "Performance of Glass/Cladding of
High-Rise Buildings in Hurricane Katrina", Ahsan Kareem and Rachel Bashor, NatHaz Modeling Laboratory, University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, IN 46656, - web search 06/26/2010 original source: http://www.nd.edu/~nathaz/doc/Katrina_AAWE_9-21.pdf
- "Hurricane Damage to Residential Structures: Risk and Mitigation", Jon K. Ayscue, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, published by the Natural Hazards Research and Applications Information Center, Institute of Behavioral Science, University of Colorado, November 1996. Abstract:
"Property damage and loss from hurricanes have increased with population growth in coastal areas, and climatic factors point to more frequent and intense hurricanes in the future. This paper describes potential hurricane hazards from wind and water. Damage to residential structures from three recent intense hurricanes - Hugo, Andrew, and Iniki - shows that wind is responsible for greater property loss than water. The current state-of-the-art building technology is sufficient to reduce damage from hurricanes when properly applied, and this paper discusses those building techniques that can mitigate hurricane damage and recommends measures for mitigating future hurricane damage to homes." - online at www.colorado.edu/hazards/publications/wp/wp94/wp94.html
- Living in the Danger Zone: Realities about Hurricanes, Fran Marscher, IUniverse; illustrated edition edition (April 25, 2001), ISBN-10: 0595170420, ISBN-13: 978-0595170425
- American Red Cross - how to contact the Red Cross - for emergency relief: food, clothing, shelter. If you are in need of a shelter during a disaster, contact your local Red Cross chapter - enter your zip code on this web page. - web search 05/31/2010
- FEMA - how to contact FEMA - the Federal Emergency Management Agency - Telephone: 1 (800) 621-FEMA (3362), TDD: 1 (800) 462-7585, Fax: 1 (800) 827-8112 or http://www.disasterassistance.gov/daip_en.portal for online disaster relief application - Web search 05/31/2010
Hurricane advice original source - http://www.fema.gov/hazard/hurricane/hu_during.shtm
- Kansas State University, department of plant pathology, extension plant pathology web page on wheat rust fungus: see http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/path-ext/factSheets/Wheat/Wheat%20Leaf%20Rust.asp
- "A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture, and Your Home",
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency US EPA - includes basic advice for building owners, occupants, and mold cleanup operations. See http://www.epa.gov/mold/moldguide.htm
- "Repairing your Flooded Home", American Red Cross & FEMA: Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA PO Box 2012, Jessup MD 20794-2012. Printed copies of this book are available from the American Red Cross, from your local Red Cross chapter, or by writing to the address above. Web search 10/4/2010, original source: http://www.redcross.org/www-files/Documents
/pdf/Preparedness/file_cont333_lang0_150.pdf
Same document from FEMA in raw text form:
- US EPA - Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Building [Copy on file at /sickhouse/EPA_Mold_Remediation_in_Schools.pdf ] - US EPA
- US EPA - Una Breva Guia a Moho - Hongo [Copy on file as /sickhouse/EPA_Moho_Guia_sp.pdf - en Espanol
- "IgG Food Allergy Testing by ELISA/EIA, What do they really tell us?" Sheryl B. Miller, MT (ASCP), PhD, Clinical Laboratory Director, Bastyr University Natural Health Clinic - ELISA testing accuracy: Here is an example of Miller's critique of ELISA
http://www.betterhealthusa.com/public/282.cfm - Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients
The critique included in that article raises compelling questions about IgG testing assays, which prompts our interest in actually screening for the presence of high levels of particles that could carry allergens - dog dander or cat dander in the case at hand.
http://www.tldp.com/issue/174/IgG%20Food%20Allergy.html contains similar criticism in another venue but interestingly by the same author, Sheryl Miller. Sheryl Miller, MT (ASCP), PhD, is an Immunologist and Associate Professor of Basic and Medical Sciences at Bastyr University in Bothell, Washington. She is also the Laboratory Director of the Bastyr Natural Health Clinic Laboratory.
- Allergens: Testing for the level of exposure to animal allergens is discussed at http://www.animalhealthchannel.com/animalallergy/diagnosis.shtml (lab animal exposure study is interesting because it involves a higher exposure level in some cases
- Allergens: WebMD discusses allergy tests for humans at webmd.com/allergies/allergy-tests
- "A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture, and Your Home", U.S. Environmental Protection Agency US EPA - includes basic advice for building owners, occupants, and mold cleanup operations. See http://www.epa.gov/mold/moldguide.htm
- Fifth Kingdom, Bryce Kendrick, ISBN13: 9781585100224, is available from the InspectAPedia online bookstore - we recommend the CD-ROM version of this book. This 3rd/edition is a compact but comprehensive encyclopedia of all things mycological. Every aspect of the fungi, from aflatoxin to zppspores, with an accessible blend of verve and wit. The 24 chapters are filled with up-to-date information of classification, yeast, lichens, spore dispersal, allergies, ecology, genetics, plant pathology, predatory fungi, biological control, mutualistic symbioses with animals and plants, fungi as food, food spoilage and mycotoxins.
- Fungi, Identifying Filamentous, A Clinical Laboratory Handbook, Guy St-Germain, Richard Summerbell, Star Publishing, 1996, ISBN 0-89863-177-7 (English) (buy at Amazon)
- US EPA: Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Building [Copy on file at /sickhouse/EPA_Mold_Remediation_in_Schools.pdf ] - US EPA
- US EPA: Una Breva Guia a Moho - Hongo [Copy on file as /sickhouse/EPA_Moho_Guia_sp.pdf - en Espanol
- Kansas State University, department of plant pathology, extension plant pathology web page on wheat rust fungus: see http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/path-ext/factSheets/Wheat/Wheat%20Leaf%20Rust.asp
- "A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture, and Your Home",
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency US EPA - includes basic advice for building owners, occupants, and mold cleanup operations. See http://www.epa.gov/mold/moldguide.htm
- US EPA - Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Building [Copy on file at /sickhouse/EPA_Mold_Remediation_in_Schools.pdf ] - US EPA
- US EPA - Una Breva Guia a Moho - Hongo [Copy on file as /sickhouse/EPA_Moho_Guia_sp.pdf - en Espanol
- "IgG Food Allergy Testing by ELISA/EIA, What do they really tell us?" Sheryl B. Miller, MT (ASCP), PhD, Clinical Laboratory Director, Bastyr University Natural Health Clinic - ELISA testing accuracy: Here is an example of Miller's critique of ELISA
http://www.betterhealthusa.com/public/282.cfm - Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients
The critique included in that article raises compelling questions about IgG testing assays, which prompts our interest in actually screening for the presence of high levels of particles that could carry allergens - dog dander or cat dander in the case at hand.
http://www.tldp.com/issue/174/IgG%20Food%20Allergy.html contains similar criticism in another venue but interestingly by the same author, Sheryl Miller. Sheryl Miller, MT (ASCP), PhD, is an Immunologist and Associate Professor of Basic and Medical Sciences at Bastyr University in Bothell, Washington. She is also the Laboratory Director of the Bastyr Natural Health Clinic Laboratory.
- Allergens: Testing for the level of exposure to animal allergens is discussed at http://www.animalhealthchannel.com/animalallergy/diagnosis.shtml (lab animal exposure study is interesting because it involves a higher exposure level in some cases
- Allergens: WebMD discusses allergy tests for humans at webmd.com/allergies/allergy-tests
- Atlas of Clinical Fungi, 2nd Ed., GS deHoog, J Guarro, J Gene, & MJ Figueras, Centraalbureau voor Schimmelcultures, Universitat Rovira I Virgili, 2000, ISBN 90-70351-43-9 (you can buy this book at Amazon) - The Atlas of Clinical Fungi is also available on CD ROM
- "A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture, and Your Home", U.S. Environmental Protection Agency US EPA - includes basic advice for building owners, occupants, and mold cleanup operations. See http://www.epa.gov/mold/moldguide.htm
- "Disease Prevention Program for Certain Vegetable Crops," David B. Langston, Jr., Extension Plant Pathologist - Vegetables, University of Georgia (PDF document) original source: www.reeis.usda.gov/web/crisprojectpages/209797.html
- "Disease Prevention in Home Vegetable Gardens,"
Patricia Donald,
Department of Plant Microbiology and Pathology,
Lewis Jett
Department of Horticulture, University of Missouri Extension - extension.missouri.edu/publications/DisplayPub.aspx?P=G6202
- "Management of Powdery Mildew, Leveillula taurica, in Greenhouse Peppers," Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, British Columbia - Original source: www.agf.gov.bc.ca/cropprot/peppermildew.htm
- Fifth Kingdom, Bryce Kendrick, ISBN13: 9781585100224, is available from the InspectAPedia online bookstore - we recommend the CD-ROM version of this book. This 3rd/edition is a compact but comprehensive encyclopedia of all things mycological. Every aspect of the fungi, from aflatoxin to zppspores, with an accessible blend of verve and wit. The 24 chapters are filled with up-to-date information of classification, yeast, lichens, spore dispersal, allergies, ecology, genetics, plant pathology, predatory fungi, biological control, mutualistic symbioses with animals and plants, fungi as food, food spoilage and mycotoxins.
- Fungi, Identifying Filamentous, A Clinical Laboratory Handbook, Guy St-Germain, Richard Summerbell, Star Publishing, 1996, ISBN 0-89863-177-7 (English) (buy at Amazon)
Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair
 The Home Reference Book - the Encyclopedia of Homes, Carson Dunlop & Associates, Toronto, Ontario, 25th Ed., 2012, is a bound volume of more than 450 illustrated pages that assist home inspectors and home owners in the inspection and detection of problems on buildings. The text is intended as a reference guide to help building owners operate and maintain their home effectively. Field inspection worksheets are included at the back of the volume. Special Offer: For a 10% discount on any number of copies of the Home Reference Book purchased as a single order. Enter INSPECTAHRB in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space. InspectAPedia.com editor Daniel Friedman is a contributing author.
Or choose the The Home Reference eBook for PCs, Macs, Kindle, iPad, iPhone, or Android Smart Phones. Special Offer: For a 5% discount on any number of copies of the Home Reference eBook purchased as a single order. Enter INSPECTAEHRB in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space.
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