Major Storms Coming Our Way

With 4 or 5 major storms stacked off the California coast, I thought it would be a good time to talk about flooding. Back in January 2005, all the streams and rivers along the north coast went over their banks, resulting in massive damage to homes andf businesses in the North Bay. I was inspecting up to 10 structures a day for over 4 months because of that storm, and I learned a lot about the problems associated with flood water.  The obvious problem is the water damage; drywall, carpeting, base board, furniture, and anything else thast is below the water line can be destroyed in mnutes. But, the real problem is mold and bacteria. If the structure is not dried out quickly and completely, mold growth will follow... thats a fact!  Bacteria is a little different, in that it needs more moisture to survive, and will not usually last very long after the water has receded and the damaged materials have been removed. Why is bacteria such a problem then? Its just rain water right? Well, think about where that water came from... it washed over every cow pasture, street, sidewalk, gutter, and lawn, and collected in streams. The run-off water is a stew of nasty bacteria. When it floods and that water enetrs your home, it can be way more hazardous to your health than the mold. Back in 2005, I did not have BioTrace, so had to collect viable swabs and send them to a lab where they were cultivated for 3 to 5 days before we knew if bacteria was a problem. By the time we got our results, conditions had changed, usually for the worse. Now, with BioTrace, I can get a relatively good idea of the biomass on the surfaces in about 15 seconds. So, if California gets pounded this week and your home of business is flooded, give me a call. I think I can help.