Harvey Victims Still Living With Mold After Eight Months
Hurricane Harvey hit eight months ago, and many victims are still suffering from mold. Many victims had to rebuild their homes and other structures following the storm, but then had to rebuild a second time after finding mold in their walls again. Inside these homes are plastic-covered walls and microwave dinners. "It’s been quite an ordeal since the hurricane. The hurricane seems to be nothing compared to this," victim Mike Johnson said. Owner of Paul Davis Restoration of West Houston Frank LaViola said, “What they didn’t do is dry it properly." Mold Assessment Consultant Linda Lauver says, “Mold has to be physically removed. If you can’t get behind a bathtub to clean, they should be removed. All wood floors, they need to be removed. The studs, they need to be scrubbed with an anti-microbial; they have to be cleaned." Lauver says that homeowners need to ensure they get a certificate of mold damage remediation before they rebuild. This is critical for not only health, but also insurance and reselling.