If you are a claims adjustor involved in commercial
or residential flood claims, you may have to not only
assess water damage but damage due to mold and bacteria.
Mold and bacteria are not the same. Molds generally
grow on surfaces that have a source of moisture, warmth
and some organic material (soil, wood, leaves, decaying
matter). Bacteria live and multiply in living organisms
(such as people and animals) but can survive on surfaces
for varying periods of time until they can again invade
or attach to some new living organism. Thus, mold can
grow on a flooded or wet surface, bacteria can only
survive until it finds a new host.
If it’s a flood due to rising surface water as a river
or lake, sewage from septic tanks, or sewers both mold
and bacteria could be involved.
Flood from a broken water pipe or rain should only
involve mold.
Mold and mold spores are more like plants and can grow
on water damaged surfaces for months or even years and
even be dormant spores for decades.
Bacteria, on the other hand, must have organic material
such as human or animal waste to survive on a surface
for any lengthy period of time. They are not likely
to survive on cement, rigid tile, ceramic surface for
very long if the flood debris is cleaned up. They can
survive on wood, cloth, insulation, or other soft material
because these materials can trap and hold the organic
material for quite a long time.
Mold can be cleaned from a surface as long as the water
has not irreperably damaged the surface (wood, fabric,
etc.). Obviously if the water has damaged the flooded
surface or furniture, it must be discarded and replaced.
A remediation plan needs to be developed that ensures
complete removal of mold and spores without further
damaging the moldy surface AND it must be done carefully
to prevent spread of mold elsewhere where it can grow
or affect building occupants/residents.
Bacteria is of greater concern because of the possibility
of spreading infections or disease. Generally, if cloth
or porous surfaces are found to be infected with bacteria,
the appropriate action is disposal—again carefully to
prevent spreading the bacteria. Non-porous surfaces
can be cleaned with a disinfectant and then re-tested
to ensure the effort was successful in decontamination.
With special training, remediation plans can be developed
for each different situation involving mold and bacteria.
Otherwise a qualified specialist in microbiology, industrial
hygiene or a remediation contractor should be consulted.
