>>> WELCOME BACK TO "HOUSTON
LIFE."
HERE IS A LIVE LOOK OUTSIDE FROM
OUR AVENIDA HOUSTON CAM,
DISCOVERY GREEN, FOLKS.
SO NOW THAT THE WATERSES ARE
RECEDING IN MOST AREAS, THE
CLEAN-UP PROCESS BEGINS.
IT'S MESSY AND IT'S SMELLY AND
IT'S NOT GOOD.
BUT IT WILL GET BETTER, FROM
PREVENTING MOLD GROWTH TO DRYING
OUT YOUR FURNITURE, ANTHONY
CRUZ, FLOOD AND MOLD EXPERT IS
HERE WITH HELPFUL TIPS OF THE
ALL RIGHT.
I'M GOING TO ASK YOU THE SAME
QUESTION I ASKED CLAYTON
EARLIER.
PEOPLE ARE FIRST COMING HOME TO
THEIR HOMES, WHETHER THEY'RE
WITH A FOOT OF WATER OR JUST A
FEW INCHES.
WHERE DO THEY START TO PREVENT
MOLD GROWTH?
>> THE FIRST THING THEY NEED TO
DO IS REALLY PROTECT THEMSELVES.
THIS FLOOD WATER COMES WITH A
LOT OF BACTERIA AND SOMETIMES
COMES FROM SEWAGE AND
EVERYTHING.
SO YOU WANT TO -- ANYTHING THAT
YOU'RE DOING, YOU WANT TO MAKE
SURE THAT YOU'RE NOT TOUCHING
THAT WATER.
RESPIRATOR, GOGGLES, RUBBER
BOOTS AND GLOVES.
>> THESE ARE SOME OF THE TIPS WE
HAVE ON THE SCREEN RIGHT NOW.
OF COURSE, LIKE GLOVES, BOOTS
AND FACE MASK.
I'VE SEEN SO MANY PICTURES OR
VIDEOS OF PEOPLE JUST SORT OF
WALKING WITH BARE LEGS INTO
WATER.
THAT'S NOT A VERY GOOD IDEA,
RIGHT?
>> NO.
YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT WATER
HAS BEEN.
A LOT OF TIME IT COMES FROM THE
SEWAGE.
IT COMES WITH A LOT OF BACTERIA
AND SMELLS BAD.
YOU DEFINITELY DON'T WANT TO BE
THERE.
>> BEFORE WE GET INTO SORT OF
THE CLEAN-UP PROCESS OR MOLD
REMEDIATION OR PREVENTING MOLD
GROWTH, TALK TO ME A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT THE DANGERS OF MOLD,
BECAUSE THIS IS WHERE I FEEL
LIKE PEOPLE GET A LITTLE BIT
EITHER CONFUSED OR ALARMED.
THIS IS SORT OF LIKE AN
INVISIBLE DANGER.
IF YOU HAVE MOLD GROWING IN YOUR
WALLS AND THAT'S MOLD SPORES ARE
AIRBORNE, YOU BREATHE THEM INTO
YOUR BODY, THAT'S PROBLEMATIC,
RIGHT?
>> YEAH.
IT CAN CAUSE ALL SORTS OF RES
OPERATE TRI ISSUES.
BUT ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS,
ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU HAVE SMALLER
KIDS OR ELDERLY PEOPLE, PEOPLE
IN GENERAL, IMMUNE SYSTEM IS
WEAK.
>> LIKE A COMPROMISED IMMU
SYSTEM, THEY'RE ESPECIALLY
VULNERABLE.
>> YEAH.
THEY'RE ESPECIALLY VULNERABLE.
BECAUSE IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY
MEAN IT'S CAUSING YOU SOMETHING.
BUT IT'S N ALLOWING YOU TO GET
ANY BETTER ON ANYTHING THAT YOU
DO.
>> GOT IT.
IT MAY NOT KILL YOU, BUT IT
COULD EXACERBATE SITUATION OR
MAKE WORSE EXISTING HEALTH
CONDITIONS THAT YOU'RE FACING?
>> THAT IS CORRECT.
THERE IS VERY LITTLE RESEARCH ON
MOLD RELATED ON THE EFFECTS IT
DOES ON PEOPLE.
BUT THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL
CASES THAT HAVE BEEN PINPOINTED
TO CERTAIN ILLNESSES.
>> HOW QUICKLY DOES MOLD GROW?
THIS AGAIN IS A QUESTION THAT'S
COME UP A LOT AS PEOPLE ARE
GETTING BACK INTO THEIR HOMES.
HOW QUICKLY CAN THEY GET THE
DRYWALL OFF, THE INSULATION OUT,
THE WET ITEMS OUT OF THE HOUSE
SO IT CAN BEGIN TO DRY OUT.
IS MOLD GROWING RIGHT AWAY OR
DOES IT TAKE SOME TIME?
>> MOLD CAN START GROWING AS
SOON AS 48 HOURS.
SOMETIMES YOU WON'T SEE IT
'CAUSE IT WILL START GROWING,
BUT PEOPLE TYPICALLY, WHEN YOU
SEE A COLUMN IS GROWING, THAT
MEANS IT HAS BEEN GROWING FOR A
WHILE, 'CAUSE WHEN YOU ACTUALLY
SEE IT, THAT MEANS THERE IS A
COLONY THERE.
>> OH, MY GOSH.
>> AS SOON AS 24 HOURS, 48
HOURS, IT CAN ACTUALLY START
GROWING.
>> IS THE -- IN TERMS OF THE
MOLD THAT'S VISIBLE AND THE MOLD
THAT MAY BE GROWING INSIDE THE
WALL, IS THERE ANY DIFFERENCE
THERE?
WHAT SHOULD PEOPLE BE LOOKING
FOR?
>> WELL, SO MOLD THAT IS
VISIBLE, IT JUST MEANS THAT IT
HAS BEEN WET FOR A LONGER PERIOD
OF TIME.
'CAUSE IF YOU LOOK, ALL OF OUR
HOMES HAVE MOLD.
WHEN WE LOOK OUTSIDE, WE HAVE
MOLD SPORES EVERY WAY.
THAT'S NATURE'S WAY OF
DECOMPOSING THINGS.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY --
CERTAIN MOLDS, THOSE ARE WHAT
ARE CONSIDERED TOXIC MOLDS.
THEY PRODUCE MICRO TOXINS.
SO THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT YOU
REALLY DON'T WANT TO HAVE IN
YOUR HOME OF THE ONCE THEY GET
DISTURBED, THEY START PRODUCING
MICRO TOXINS AND THEY START
AFFECTING PEOPLE.
>> WHAT ABOUT MILDEW?
I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO
DESCRIBE IT.
HORRIBLE SMELL WHEN IT COMES TO
THAT.
THE FIRST HURRICANE I COVERED
WAS 1999, HURRICANE FLOYD.
I WAS IN NORTH CAROLINA IN HOMES
THAT HAD WATER LINE UP TO THE
WALLS.
MOLD WAS EVERYWHERE.
BUT YOU'RE NOT SMELLING THE
MOLD.
YOU'RE SMELLING THE MILDEWY
SMELL; WHEN YOU'RE SMELLING
THAT, THAT'S TYPICALLY A SIGN
THAT A COLONY STARTED TO DEVELOP
AND START GROWING.
>> SO WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN MOLD AND MIDEW?
>> BASICALLY PART OF THE SAME
FAMILY.
YOU JUST DON'T WANT THEM THERE.
>> YOU DON'T WANT TO BE PART OF
THAT FAMILY.
>> YOU DON'T WANT THEM THERE.
SO YOU NEED TO GET RID OF THEM.
EITHER OR.
>> OKAY.
SO THAT WAS LIKE A GOOD BASIC
LIKE MOLD 101 LESSON.
SO LET'S MOVE INTO THEN HOW
PEOPLE CAN EITHER REMOVE MOLD OR
PREVENT MOLD FROM GROWING IN
THEIR HOME.
>> SO HE TO PREVENT MOLD FROM
GROWING, YOU NEED TO CONTROL
YOUR MOISTURE.
IN THIS CASE, WE HAD A FLOOD.
SO THE FIRST THING, YOU NEED TO
TRY TO GET THINGS DRY AS QUICK
AS POSSIBLE.
>> GET THE WET ITEMS OUT.
LET THINGS DRY.
CRITICAL, CRITICAL.
>> YES.
AND AFTER THAT, THAT'S WHEN --
AFTER YOU GET ALL THE ITEMS OUT,
YOU SPRAY FUNGUSIDE, WHICH WAS
MENTIONED EARLIER.
THAT WILL KILL BACTERIA, MOLD,
AND DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WILL
GROW IN THERE TO HEL SANITIZE
THE AREA.
>> THE FUNGICIDE CAN PREVENT
FUTURE GROWTH.
THIS IS OBVIOUSLY YOUR BUSINESS.
HOUSTON PRONE TO LIKE ANY
SPECIFIC TYPES OF MOLD?
ARE THERE ALL KINDS OF MOLE?
>> THERE ARE ALL KINDS.
>> OKAY.
SO YOU'RE NOT LIKE LOOKING FOR
ONE PARTICULARLY INSIDIOUS TYPE
OF MOLD?
>> NO.
WHENEVER MOLD SAMPLE IS TAKEN,
YOU CAN HAVE 100 MOLDS.
YOU CAN HAVE TEN.
THERE IS ALWAYS MULTIPLE MOLDS
THAT ARE IN THE AIR SAMPLE.
AND A LOT OF THEM ARE OKAY TO BE
IN THE HOME.
SOME OF THE OTHERS ARE NOT.
>> SO YOU STARTED DOING THIS,
YOUR COMPANY STARTED AFTER
HURRICANE ANDREW, YOU WERE
HELPING CLEAN UP PEOPLE'S HOMES
AFTER THAT DISASTER.
IS MOLD SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE
CAN TACKLE ON THEIR OWN?
LIKE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
PREVENTION.
SO HOPEFULLY PEOPLE ARE GETTING
THE WET STUFF OUT, GETTING THE
WALLS OPEN AND DRY.
BUT IS THERE -- WHAT IF MOLD IS
ALREADY THERE?
COULD I AS A HOMEOWNER REMOVE MY
OWN MOLD?
>> SO THE STATE OF TEXAS IS
REGULATED WITH REGARDS TO MOLD.
RIGHT NOW IT'S REGULATED BY THE
STATE HEALTH SERVICES.
THAT'S ABOUT TO CHANGE IN THE
NEXT FEW MONTHS.
SO HOMEOWNERS, YOU CAN DO IT ON
YOUR OWN, BUT I WOULDN'T ADVISE
IT UNLESS YOU REALLY KNOW WHAT
YOU'RE DOING 'CAUSE YOU CAN
MAKE -- LET'S SAY IF YOU GOT
MOLD IN THIS CORNER, YOU CAN END
UP SPREADING THAT AREA AND
MAKING YOUR WHOLE HOME
CONTAMINATED WITH MOLD SPORES.
>> YOU CAN SPREAD IT?
>> YEAH.
>> HOW WOULD SOMEONE DO THAT?
>> MOLD CAN STAY WHERE IT IS
UNLESS IT'S DISTURBED.
ONCE YOU DISTURB IT, IT GOES
AIRBORNE AND GOES EVERYWHERE.
>> INTERESTING.
ONCE IT GOES AIRBORNE, IT MAY
LOOK FOR ANOTHER PLACE TO GO?
>> YES.
IT CAN MAY GRATE THROUGH YOUR
HVAC.
NOW SOMETHING THAT WAS LOCALIZED
THIS THAT AREA, NOW YOU MADE IT
A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM TO THE
HOUSE.
>> OH, MY GOSH.
WE'RE NOT TRYING TO ALARM
PEOPLE, BUT THIS IS VERY
IMPORTANT INFORMATION TO HAVE.
EARLIER WHEN CLAYTON WAS HERE
AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE
GREATER HOUSTON BUILDERS
ASSOCIATION AND THEIR
GUIDELINES, WE TALKED A LITTLE
BIT ABOUT THE USE OF BLEACH
BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE ALL OF US
HAVE BLEACH AT HOME.
WE JUST FIGURE THAT'S THE MAGIC
BULLET TO TAKE CARE OF ANY
CONTAMINATION.
HE WARNED AGAINST USING BLEACH
ON THE TREATED LUMBER THAT'S
SORT OF AT THE BASE OF THE WALL,
RIGHT, BECAUSE THAT CAN CREATE
ARSENIC THAT GOES AIRBORNE AND
CLEARLY WE DON'T WANT TO BREATHE
IN ARSENIC.
ARE THERE ANY CONCERNS WITH
USING BLEACH FOR OUR OWN MOLD
REMEDIATION AT HOME?
>> WE NEVER U BLEACH.
BLEACH IS NOT GOOD FOR ANY
POROUS MATERIAL.
IT DOESN'T ALLOW IT TO
PENETRATE.
ALL IT DOES IS JUST KILLING --
IT WILL KILL WHATEVER IS ON
SURFACE.
BUT THEN IT WON'T PENETRATE.
SO NOW THE WATER THAT'S ON THE
BLEACH IS FEEDING THAT LUMBER OR
THE DRYWALL.
SO YOU'RE ACTUALLY FEEDING IT
AND IT'S GOING TO MAKE IT WORSE
IN THE FUTURE.
EVEN THOUGH YOU KILL WHAT IS ON
SURFACE.
>> ONE MORE QUICK QUESTION AND
THEN WE'RE GOING TO WRAP.
WHAT ABOUT OTHER CHEMICALS AT
HOME, LIK AMMONIA OR ALCOHOL OR
SOMETHING?
>> ONE OF THE ONES THAT IS
MOSTLY RECOMMENDED IS VINEGAR.
>> VINEGAR
INTERESTING.
OKAY.
I'M GOING TO ASK YOU MORE ABOUT
THAT COMING UP.
FOLKS, ANTHONY WILL BE HERE.
SO STICK AROUND.
WE WILL BE RIGHT BACK WITH MUCH
MORE "HOUSTON LIFE.
>>> WE ARE BACK WITH ANTHONY
CRUZ.
HE IS A FLOOD AND MOLD EXPERT
WITH ADVANCEA CLEAN, GIVING US
GREAT TIPS.
SO DURING THE COMMERCIAL BREAK,
I WAS ASKING YOU ABOUT INSURANCE
BECAUSE IS IT TRUE THAT
SOMETIMES INSURANCE DOESN'T
COVER MOLD REMOVAL A
PREVENTION?
>> SO IN TEXAS, MOLD REMEDIATION
IS NOT COVERED BY MOST
INSURANCE, UNLESS YOU HAVE A
SPECIFIC POLICY ON IT.
>> INTERESTING.
SO THAT WOULD BE A SEPARATE
INSURANCE POLICY.
INTERESTING.
SO IF PEOPLE WANT TO GET IN
TOUCH, YOU GUYS MUST BE TOTALLY
SLAMMED.
>> DEFINITELY.
>> HOW DO YOU HAVE TIME TO BE
HERE RIGHT NOW?
>> YOU GOT TO MAKE IT.
>> YOU GOT TO MAKE TIME.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING IN
AND ANSWERING THE QUESTIONS AND
WE WILL SEE YOU AGAIN.
GOOD LUCK OUT THERE.
>> THANK YOU.
APPRECIATE IT.
>> FOR MORE INFO ON FLO
CLEAN-UP, VISIT THEIR WEB SITE.
THANKS AGAIN.
AND COMING UP NEXT, WE'RE GONNA
GIVE YOU RESOURCES ON HOW TO
DONATE TIME, GOODS AND SERVICES
AROUND HOUSTON.
WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK.