SEA BROOK, Texas – Hurricane Ike caused millions in damages, and now some homeowners are finding they have to fight the mold the storm left behind.

Wally Reichart couldn’t believe how big the problem grew at his home.

“It really caught us off guard. I didn’t think it would be that bad,” he said.

“When my mom walked in she started crying. The sheetrock was all black, the smell was horrid because it had the mold growing for a couple of days,” said Reinchart.

Dan Bridge is a mold expert with the Rimkus Consulting Group.

He’s inspecting Reinchart’s home.

“You can see a black type of mold and green type of mold.  There’s about 10 different species here,” he said.

Those are just the types of mold that the human eye can see. Bridge says some of the growth you can’t see, and that’s why you should call a professional for help.

“The eye can’t see it. If I took a swab, I would probably get elevated mold,” said Bridge.

Bridge says that professionals have machines that measure whether there’s moisture behind the walls or not. 

Some consumers who hope to save money may opt to remove the mold themselves, but if you have respiratory problems you may want to find an expert, said Bridge.

Bridge says that if you’re going to do the work yourself, you should wear a respirator or HEPA filter.

“You do not want to get mold spores into the air. You know the musty smell from mold. Those things can have health affects if you breathe the gases that mold puts off,” he said.

Cover the area you’re going to work in and remove your wall boards four feet above the mold, said Bridge.  

“I would put black plastic over that area and tape it down that way you’ve trapped those mold spores. (You should) saw out the section you’re going to take out, put it in the black garbage bags, seal it and take it out,” said Bridge.

This is a time consuming and costly project, but C.O.R.E. Alliance can help.

It is a Christian group that is out helping Ike victims like Reichardt.

“We help everyone get the cabinets out, the couches, the rugs, everything that’s been flooded,” said Mike Malkemes who is with the organization.

He says the group has more than 70 homes on their list, and they now need more volunteers.

And this is where Wally Reichardt’s story turns from what the hurricane took to what it gave back. 

You see, Reichardt helped Katrina victims in Mississippi.

He says he never understood how much what he did then mattered until now.