Dry it or take it out? How to compare wet materials in a Lithia Springs home

The first sorting question has nothing to do with the material. If the water came up a drain or toilet, or spilled over a creek bank, the CDC says floodwater may contain sewage. The EPA sends the job to a professional whenever sewage or contaminated water is behind the damage.

Water from a clean supply line leaves more options open. A plumber can tell which side of the meter a line is on, WSA's Report a Problem page notes, and the lines from the meter to the house are the homeowner's.

For walls, hard floors and other surfaces that can be washed, the CDC's cleanup step is soap and water. The EPA's mold page says to scrub mold off hard surfaces with detergent and water and to dry them completely.

That last phrase matters. A hard floor that is washed and left damp has only moved the problem; the EPA's advice is to dry all items completely.

For porous materials like ceiling tiles and carpet, the EPA notes that mold growth can mean throwing them out, since the mold may never come out completely. After floodwater, the CDC's discard list, meant for items that cannot be disinfected, includes wall coverings, cloth and rugs.

Neither page gives a number of hours after which carpet is lost. Moisture readings and the history of the water decide.

A Pennsylvania state fact sheet says drywall goes brittle after a long soaking and crumbles when bumped, and that drywall which has swollen or pulled away from the framing is likely to need replacing. It adds that a plaster ceiling will dry eventually but will likely sag or crack.

The University of Missouri Extension's structural checklist treats ceilings that are cracked or sagging as items to look for. A sag is also a reason to keep people out from under it.

The EPA's brief guide attaches a 24-to-48-hour mark to wet areas and belongings: dry them by then, and in most cases mold never gets a start. Indoor air has its own number: under 60 percent humidity, and ideally between 30 and 50.

After that window, the CDC says to assume mold may be present in a flooded home that stayed closed up for days.

If the carpet and floors are the wet part, soaked carpet and floors has the checks to make first. If a wall already shows spotting, dark spots after a leak explains the EPA's 10-square-foot line.

Call (678) 940-9083, name the materials that got wet and for how long, and ask whether a contractor can come look at your address.