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Mold Remediation After Storm Damage in New Orleans

In our damp air, mold trails water harm fast. What mold cleanup takes, when you can do it, and when to call licensed pros.

Why Mold Hits Louisiana Hard

Mold needs three things: damp, food (wall board, wood, dust), and time. A storm-hit New Orleans home has all three. Our damp air means wet goods can grow mold in 24 to 48 hours. Fast drying (water fix-up) means less mold work later.

Small vs. Big Mold Jobs

Small mold spots (a patch the size of a door or less, on hard flat tops) can often be cleaned by a home owner in a mask, gloves, and eye gear. Scrub with soap and water. Dry fully. Fix the wet source.

Call pros when mold spans a wide zone, sits in walls or ducts, keeps coming back, or when one at home has asthma or weak health. Soft goods with deep growth — wall board, fill, rugs — must be cut out, not wiped.

What Pro Cleanup Takes

  1. Seal-off: the work zone is closed with plastic and held at low air force so spores do not roam.
  2. Cut-out: tainted soft goods are bagged and trashed.
  3. Clean: hard tops get vacuumed and wiped. Ducts may need pro duct work.
  4. Dry: dryers bring damp down, proved by meters.
  5. Fix the source: cleanup with no leak fix is vain — mold comes back.

Louisiana License Facts

Louisiana makes mold cleanup firms hold a state license. Check it at lslbc.gov before you hire. Shun scare pitches ("killer black mold — sign now") and free mold tests that always find a pricey job. Split firms for test and fix dodge bias.

Insurance Truth

Mold pay shifts by policy. Many policies cap or bar mold work, or pay it only when tied to a paid water loss. Read your policy and raise it with your adjuster early. Fast dry-out in the first days is your best proof you did your part.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does bleach kill mold?

Bleach can clean face mold on hard flat tops. But it fails on soft goods like wall board or wood — roots live deep. Soap, scrub, full dry, and cut-out of tainted soft goods is the sound path.

How do I know if mold is a health risk?

Any wide or stubborn growth earns a pro look, most of all if one at home has cough, allergies, or weak health. Do not judge risk by hue — "black mold" fear is often a sales ploy.

Will insurance pay for mold cleanup?

It hinges on your policy. Many cap mold pay or tie it to a paid water loss. Read your terms, note the wet source, and raise it with your adjuster early in the claim.