Flooded homes in Manitoba, Quebec at risk for mold

Major mold removal could be in store as an eventual consequence of recent flooding in Manitoba and Quebec.

In Manitoba, the government made the decision to intentionally breach a dike on the Assiniboine River and flood more than 150 properties for the greater good of protecting 800 other homes. Just south of Montreal, roughly 3,000 homes were flooded by the Richelieu River earlier this month.

Some of the damage caused by flooding is easy to see and predict. Rushing floodwaters can mix with sewage containing both human and animal waste, contaminating drinking water or food with potentially infectious viruses, bacteria and other micro-organisms. One common threat is E. coli, as the people of Walkerton, Ontario learned the hard way when seven people died and more than 7,000 became ill in the now-infamous 2001 crisis.

But threat many flood victims often overlook is mold, and the kind that can’t be stopped pre-emptively by a mold inspection. The water damage caused by flooding causes increased moisture which creates a breeding environment for mold, explains Denise Koh, Manitoba’s medical officer of health dealing with environmental health.

“People who are sensitive to mold may experience increased asthma symptoms or difficulty breathing,” she says. “They can have irritating symptoms such as a stuffy nose, irritated eyes, wheezing, skin irritation and mold infections in the lungs.”

If you’re a flood victim, you should strongly consider commissioning a mold inspection and removal company to assess the damages and see whether your home has developed mold or is at risk for mold.

If you’re fortunate enough to live in a region not currently affected by flooding, such as the Greater Toronto Area, you can still learn a valuable lesson reading about the problems in Quebec and Manitoba. The flood damage highlights what mold can do to the human body. It’s thus imperative for all buildings to undergo proper mold detection.

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