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According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), floods and flash floods happen in all 50 states, and just a few inches of water from a flood can cause tens of thousands of dollars in damage. [Note: Ad or content links featured on this page are not necessarily affiliated with IICRC (The cleantrust) and should not be considered a recommendation or endorsement by IICRC (The cleantrust)].
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Taking the proper steps to protect a property after a flood can limit the extent of the damage incurred. See “Five Steps to Prevent Mold Growth after a Catastrophic Flood”.
After taking recommended steps to stop mold growth, and when necessary engaging the services of a certified professional to correct major problems, the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) and the Healthy House Institute (HHI) suggest a proper post-remediation verification (PRV) be undertaken to help ensure the job was done correctly.
What is a Post-Remediation Verification (PRV)?
“Post-remediation verification (PRV) is actually a multi-step process - performed by qualified professionals - rather than just a surface or air assessment or ‘check’ at the end, and it begins in the planning stages of the remediation, is integrated with the entire process, and is ultimately a type of process or quality control embedded throughout procedures used by a professional mold remediator. The final step may consist of air and/or surface sampling and/or other types of testing,” said Gordon Dean of Clean Pro Restoration, an IICRC Certified Firm.
“PRV involves various tools and methods, but all of these can be misleading or less than helpful if they are not used in harmony with scientific and public health principles and informed agencies such as the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH),” noted Paul Tierney, Certified Mold Investigator (CMI), Environmental Scientist, and principal of Environmental Services and Consulting, LLC.
Importantly, be sure the firm you hire to perform the remediation is properly certified by credible organizations such as the IICRC, and adheres to the directives of IICRC’s S520 Standard, and that any PRV utilized is based on a multifaceted approach involving the entire process; e.g., using multiple environmental samplings or collections to enable drawing an appropriate conclusion.
“The homeowner should proceed with care when accepting PRV outcomes,” noted Scott Armour, principal of Armour Applied Science, LLC. “There are uncertainties associated with limited sampling, and the main point to remember is that the contractor should comply with accepted mold remediation requirements at the outset of and throughout the remediation process, and carefully employ steps to ensure effective job completion.”
Flood Facts from FEMA
• Floods and flash floods happen in all 50 states.
• Just a few inches of water from a flood can cause tens of thousands of dollars in damage.
• Most homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage.
• You are eligible to purchase flood insurance as long as your community participates in the National Flood Insurance Program.
• In most cases, it takes 30 days after purchase for a policy to take effect, so it's important to buy insurance before the storm approaches and the floodwaters start to rise.
• From 2003 to 2012, total flood insurance claims averaged more than $3.0 billion per year.
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HHI is committed to accuracy of content and correcting information that is incomplete or inaccurate. With our broad scope of coverage of healthful indoor environments, and desire to rapidly publish info to benefit the community, mistakes are inevitable. HHI has established an error correction policy to welcome corrections or enhancements to our information. Please help us improve the quality of our content by contacting allen@healthyhouseinstitute.com with corrections or suggestions for improvement. Each contact will receive a respectful reply.
The Healthy House Institute (HHI), a for-profit educational LLC, provides the information on HealthyHouseInstitute.com as a free service to the public. The intent is to disseminate accurate, verified and science-based information on creating healthy home environments.
While an effort is made to ensure the quality of the content and credibility of sources listed on this site, HHI provides no warranty - expressed or implied - and assumes no legal liability for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, product or process disclosed on or in conjunction with the site. The views and opinions of the authors or originators expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of HHI: its principals, executives, Board members, advisors or affiliates.
