Heavy rains continued through the weekend, even after Tropical Storm Debby passed out of ENC. In addition, the relative humidity in some areas of eastern North Carolina has been at 100%.
That combined dampness can cause problems inside homes.
Dr. Rachel Noble with the UNC Institute of Marine Sciences in Morehead City said people should watch for fungal mold growth, especially if they have people living with them that are more vulnerable.
“Over a certain concentration as associated with the humidity inside of a home, molds can very seriously begin to affect children and also elderly populations, and also those who are immunocompromised," she said.
She suggests, "If you have an event that brings a lot of rainfall and this kind of humid environment, being proactive with a bleach and water solution -- around a cup of bleach to a gallon of water -- to create a cleaning solution to wipe any surface down, that appears to be suffering from some mold growth.”
Another way to combat mold growth is by running the A.C.
"Being able to keep that air conditioning running, even if it's not overly hot outside so that you can keep that relative humidity down," Noble explained.
