Flood-Cleaning Chemicals Causing Sickness

Flood-Cleaning Chemicals Causing Sickness

(ABC 6 NEWS) - Mason City homeowners are still cleaning up and some of them are literally getting sick because of it.

Doctors are seeing more people calling in with flood-related illnesses while using powerful chemicals to clean up.

"We do still see people who've been treated for diarrhea, infectious diarrhea or for skin infections,” says Dr. Matt Thompson, from Mercy Medical Center.

Dr. Thompson says they've been getting several phone calls about flood related illnesses.

He says the most common signs are upper respiratory problems like a persistent cough or fever like symptoms.

"It’s important to have good ventilation in the house if you're working with noxious chemicals,” he says.
Ed Frese says this is exactly why he didn't use any chemicals to clean his home.

"You never know what's in them; they can say they're safe but they're not,” he says.

Frese says after wading through four feet of water, it was better to gut his entire home to make sure the mold is completely gone.

But Daniel Kamm is using bleach and other chemicals keep prevent mold from growing in his flooded home.
"United Way came in with the simple green, pressure washed and hosed the whole place down,” says Kamm.
Frese still remembers how he felt when he first walked in his home.

"My lungs would feel like they weighed 20 pounds. It was bad but once the carpet got out it was fine."

Dr. Thompson says the best way to prevent infections is to check with your doctor if you have any persistent or strange symptoms.

Fever, headaches, vomiting, cramps or diarrhea are a few symptoms that can happen while cleaning up a flooded home.

If these symptoms last longer than two days, call your family doctor.

Direct link: KAALtv.com - Flood-Cleaning Chemicals Causing Sickness