Flooding damage after a hurricane can quickly lead to mold problems.

  • Mold can quickly infiltrate a home after water damage
  • Raw sewage backing up can make it far worse
  • Plaster and drywall need to be cut out to fix problem

Experts say if your home does take on water, have it checked as soon as possible, because mold can develop within weeks or months.

And when the flood includes raw sewage, the problems are multiplied.

"The smell was crazy, terrible," said Bobby Clifton, project manager for HydraDry in Orlando, describing what it was like the first time he walked in to one Orlando-area home damaged by Hurricane Irma.

"Anywhere that there was a drain, it was backing up."

Several inches of water and raw sewage was in the living room, bathroom and kitchen. Infrared technology shows them where the water was hiding. Again, this wasn't rain water — this was raw sewage, which adds to the health dangers.

"You've got E. coli, coliform, fecal streptococcus, MRSA, staphtococcus," Clifton said.

The plaster walls and floors were cut out and thrown out. The studs and floorboards were dried out. After that was done, the cleaning started, which took a lot of elbow grease.

"When it comes from the sewer, it's pretty bad," HydraDry's Amy Barbour said.

After the cleaning is done, the costly repairs begin to fix a problem that, unfortunately, was beyond any preparations.

"You couldn't have stopped Mother Nature from knocking out power and it (sewage) coming from out of your toilets and showers," Clifton said.

HydraDry says they're getting getting calls for repairs from tree limbs and branches and doors that were blown in.

Experts say maintain your home, because even a small crack can lead to big problems during a storm.