Flooding is one of the environmental mishaps that is close to causing the greatest damage and chaos along with major storms such as hurricanes and tornadoes. Flooding also has that capability of coming only from a broken pipe or from too much rain that seeps in, yet the damage that is caused when the water touches the areas can cause total oblivion.
Essentially, everything can be ruined and has to be thrown out simply because of the pervasiveness of water with everything it touches. Once something is wet through and through, it is nearly impossible to get it to dry out before mold sets in or other contaminants that are in the water ruin it.
If flood water comes from the outside, such as a river or another body of water enters in, then there are all kinds of problems in the water such as bacteria, viruses, mold, fertilizer, pesticides, e-Coli, typhus and petroleum products.
So it is obvious that anything that the water touches are going to be ruined. If a flood does occur in your home, the first thing you should do is to call your insurance company and don’t attempt to clean things up yourself. It is too dangerous, and you are putting yourself in harm’s way. You should hire a professional water cleanup company as they have protective clothing and the proper equipment to get the task accomplished thoroughly and safely. Your insurance company can recommend a company that knows what they are doing so the result will be extremely favorable.
The sooner someone can get into the home; the more the chances are of minimizing the damage. The first order of business is to get all standing water out of the home. Some people assume that the water will just drain out on its own, but that is the further thing from the truth. The water just mostly soaks into things, thus ruining them.
It is most likely, when you experience a flood, that you will have to find a temporary place to live with a friend, relative or at a hotel until the water restoration company completes the water removal and restoration of your home. A couple of reasons stand right out, one being that flood water and its residue can be very dangerous, and secondly, you will just be in the way of an efficient cleanup process.
Water Restoration Company
The water restoration company will place high-speed pumps to get the water out as quickly as possible to the downhill outside of the house. This might take no longer than a day and in most cases a few hours.
Once the standing water is pumped out, a drying process must begin, and that is done with large industrial fans that are placed strategically all around the house, which will run night and day until most everything is dry.
During the drying process, anything that soaks up water such as overstuffed furniture, carpeting, padding, draperies, books, and other similar items will sadly have to be discarded. You’ll never be able to read a book again that has been saturated with floodwater or sit in an easy chair full of raw sewage. Just get rid of that kind of debris and move on with your life.
Electrical systems, junction boxes, wiring, and electrical wall sockets will have to be replaced. Drywall, studs, and wallpaper will have to be torn out and discarded. Everything that soaks up water will have to be torn out, rebuilt and repainted or refinished, as the case may be.
Once all of that ripping out and removing the water-soaked debris is completed, the entire place will have to be sterilized and totally cleaned so mold and bacteria are eradicated. Then, and only then, will then and only then there be allowed any rebuilding.
Take mold, for example. Mold begins from one small spore, and if it gets hold of an area where there is a source of water or dampness, darkness, and no moving air it will grow. And it grows surprisingly fast so that in a matter of days it can be covering an entire wall.
Mold can grow behind walls so that the inhabitants don’t even know that it is there, eventually causing severe respiratory problems with the entire family. Making the environment so unattractive so that mold never has the opportunity to get started is the key to holding it in check.
Even a small area that is the result of a leaking pipe can be very destructive and require help from the outside. Any standing water at all is a situation that you should leave alone. How do you know whether or not any of that water is covering a live electrical socket? Can you imagine your plight if you should step into that kind of standing water?
You are not equipped from an equipment standpoint nor do you have the knowledge to begin even the process. This is why the water damage restoration is such a specialized business. Not only does it take a good deal of training to successfully restore a building or an area, but the also takes a lot of precautions as well, as the hazards can be very subtle and instantly life-threatening, so the average layperson just needs to stand back and let the experts handle things.
If you live in a flood-prone area, you can put together a plan of action so that if a large amount of rain is expected, you can leave your home early and not get caught in your home when it comes. Make yourself an emergency “go kit” so you can leave quickly if that is necessary.
If floods are predicted for your area, put up perishable items so that they are high off the ground such as in attics and closets. Place overstuffed chairs high on counters or move them out of the house if it is possible.
Ask your insurance company in advance as to who to use for emergency cleanup in case of a flood, and then if the flood occurs, you can call them right away.
