Sometimes the damage that occurs from flooding isn’t visible in the first days after floodwaters recede. Mold can be hidden behind the walls of a basement or in ductwork in a lower level. Disaster recovery officials warned residents of Milwaukee who experienced sewer backup and flooding from torrential rains in May, 2004, to thoroughly clean and completely dry areas that were wet to keep mold from growing into a health and safety problem.
Seventy-nine-year-old Ruth Collins had help from her neighbors to clean up the mess in her basement left after heavy rains caused problems with sewer backup in her neighborhood. But a few days after the neighbors were gone, she noticed black spots on her basement walls, including under her computer desk. The wet, humid conditions provided an optimum environment for mold growth.
