How Should I Best Clean My Flood-Damaged Home?

Flood damage in Conroe Texas 3655

Water that leaks from inside or that enters your home from the outside can be very destructive. If you have sustained any kind of flood damage, even from a broken pipe or appliance, you should begin cleaning efforts quickly to prepare for flood damage repair.

Follow the suggestions referenced below to clean and dry your home or call for help from an experienced flood damage restoration service. Reducing the amount of damage sustained depends on acting fast and knowing how to properly clean up the mess.

Step 1 - Disconnect the Power

Electricity and water together are very dangerous. Before attempting to clean and dry any amount of water, start by first unplugging all appliances and electric items in the room and then removing them. If there is a large amount of water present, or flood damage affects larger areas in the home, cut the power to the home completely for safety.

Step 2 - Remove Everything

After removing electric items and appliances, begin your flood damage repair efforts by quickly removing anything else that can be taken out of the affected area. Remove furniture and fixtures that are not built in, as well as all personal belongings so the area is empty and can be dried and cleaned. Throw out items that are damaged beyond repair and leave others out of the area for flood damage restoration, if necessary.

Step 3 - Remove the Water

Once the affected area has been cleared of all items, start getting the water out. Choose a method suitable for the amount of water present. You can use towels, rags, and mops for smaller floods, or even wet/dry vacuums to quickly siphon up water from floors and carpeting. A sump pump may help in situations when there is standing water in the home.

If these methods do not work sufficiently or fast enough, the best suggestion is to call a flood damage restoration service that can suction the water out with a high-powered floor and carpet machine.

Step 4 - Get the Area Dry

When as much water has been removed as possible, start drying out the area. The key to flood damage repair lies in getting things dried out as quickly as possible before mold and mildew can begin to grow. Open the windows and set up multiple fans in the area to keep air circulating and draw out moisture. Set up a dehumidifier to help the process.

Drying time will vary depending on how much water is still in the floors and rugs, as well as the outside air humidity. It can take anywhere from a couple of days to a number of weeks.

Step 5 - Disinfect and Deodorize

After affected areas have been dried out, go through and apply a disinfectant to kill off any bacteria, mold, or mildew that could begin to grow. Use products made for flood damage treatment. Then dry the area again. Apply deodorizers to carpeting and dry again. Odors, along with mold and mildew growth, can be arrested by using the right products; however, unless the area is thoroughly dried, these problems could return.

Depending on the extent of the flood damage, you may be able to clean and dry your home quite easily. Yet when the damage is significant due when a large amount of water is involved, you may find using professional flood damage restoration services is a better option. With industrial quality machines and effective disinfectant solutions, flood damage repair services can make your home good as new after suffering water damage!

Dealing With Flood Damage In Conroe Texas?

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Flood Damage – What To Do When The Water Leaves!

Flood damage in Conroe Texas

Flooding can cause extensive damage, whether it is because of a problem in the home or due to the forces of nature. Unfortunately, flood damage often increases significantly after the water is gone. The first 24 hours after a water event are the most critical for reducing additional destruction that may occur before flood damage cleaning can be arranged. By using the important tips below, homeowners can take steps to protect their homes from more damage and help ensure that things are brought back to normal after a good cleaning.

Protect Everyone

First and foremost, everyone in the home who will be helping with flood damage cleaning efforts should be protected. Contaminated water can pose health concerns, even if it looks clear. Protect those working in the home with rubber gloves and boots, or wear waders if the water is deep. Respirator masks may also be a good idea if the water is known to be contaminated in any way; that will prevent inhaling any mold or mildew that may develop.

Take Photos and Call the Insurance Company

Immediately after a flood event and before anything is moved, photos should be taken of all the destruction so there is a record of how things initially looked. Next, homeowners should call their insurance company to report the event and the flood damage before any cleanup efforts begin. This can help determine whether the event is covered by an insurance policy. Homeowners should also verify whether they can start cleanup or if the insurer will send professionals to do it. If cleaning can be started before a professional crew arrives, make sure the insurance company knows what will be done and by whom.

In cases of a natural water event, find out from the insurance company if the area has been considered to be a disaster area. If it has, this may entitle homeowners to additional insurance or government assistance in dealing with any flood damage.

Remove Any Remaining Water

After speaking with the insurance company and getting the go-ahead to start flood damage cleaning efforts, any remaining water in the home should be removed. Open the doors and windows to circulate clean air throughout the home, then suction water up with a wet vac or use a sump pump if necessary. Sump pumps make removing standing water easier and more safe than using buckets. They are available at most home centers and hardware stores.

Reduce Damage from Mold and Mildew

Mold and mildew grow very quickly after a flood, causing even more flood damage to a home and its contents. To reduce such growth, remove all damaged items from the house as soon as possible. The longer wet and saturated rugs or furnishings remain in the home, the greater the chance of mold or mildew growth. This is significant since mildew causes bad odors and mold is a potential health risk if inhaled.

Secure the Home

In situations when a home is uninhabitable after a flood, owners should take necessary steps to secure it if they are not present. Any broken windows should be boarded and roofs covered with tarps if necessary. Take pictures of temporary repairs as evidence that the home was secured in case a break-in or vandalism should occur.

A flood is not something that any homeowner wants to face, regardless of the cause. Knowing what to do after the fact can reduce the extent of flood damage many ways. By working with their insurance company and professional flood damage cleaning services, homeowners can get their homes back to normal as quickly and easily as possible!

Dealing With Flood Damage In Conroe Texas?

Contact The Pros At Water Damage Restoration Conroe!

Call (936) 243-6380!

Indoor Flood Damage – What Are The Normal Causes?

flood damage in Conroe Texas

Flood damage comes in many forms. Although the worst situations involve forces of nature, this does not make the more common incidences of flooding in the home any less annoying or damaging. Most water damage that occurs in a home happens due to simple issues that are easily remedied. By understanding what the most common causes of flooding in a home, homeowners can take steps to prevent them before having to call for flood damage cleaning!

Defective Washer Hoses

Defective washer hoses are one of the most common causes of unintentional flooding in the home and fortunately the easiest one to prevent. Washer intake hoses dry out and crack after a while and fittings can wear out. This often results in either a slow leak that can cause serious damage to flooring or sudden leaks where a hose fails completely.

A homeowner could wind up with gallons of water from inside the washer spilling onto the floor or worse yet, water from the feed line leaking everywhere. This problem can be avoided by replacing rubber washer hoses with strong, braided ones and installing a washer shutoff valve.

Water Heater Leaks

The water heater is another source of flood damage, as many people forget about checking their heaters. Water heaters can rust or experience other kinds of failures, leaving slow leaks to cause costly damage to the floors and walls around it. Worst of all, because these appliances are connected to a continuous source of water, the leaking continues and worsens over time until it is finally detected. By then it may be time for flood damage cleaning.

Homeowners need to routinely check water heaters for leaks and pay close attention to the unit's age. Replacing an old unit that shows signs of rusting can prevent a disaster.

Clogged Drains

Clogged drains can be more than just a nuisance. When water drains slower and collects in sinks or tubs, this could be a flood waiting to happen. Chronically slow drains should be investigated to determine the problem and cleared out before a sudden backup of water causes a flood. Even small amounts of water pouring onto the floors in bathrooms and kitchens can cause flood damage since the water seeps and soaks into everything. A plumber should inspect slow drains so they can be cleaned before a flood can happen.

Drain Pipe and Septic Issues

Septic backups and clogged drainpipes are a serious concern that can precede very unpleasant and unsanitary flooding in the home. Septic backups are usually caused by an overfull septic tank or an issue with the drainfield, while clogged pipes can be caused by many different things. In either case, before an overflow that requires flood damage cleaning occurs, homeowners should have an experienced plumber or septic service out to take a look.

Clogged and Dirty Rain Gutters

Even though they are not actually inside the home, dirty rain gutters that become clogged are another common cause of home flood damage. When water cannot flow along the gutter to the downspout, it pools in the gutters and pours over the edges, falling to the ground around the home. When this water is not properly diverted, it can saturate the ground around the foundation, eventually working its way into the house through small cracks in the foundation that may generate over time. In extreme cases, water can flood into basements. Keeping the rain gutters clean is the easiest remedy.

As simple as some of these concerns may seem, they cause countless dollars in home flood damage every year. Thankfully, all of these issues are easy to prevent. Before a small problem becomes a bigger one that involves flood damage cleaning, homeowners should add these simple items to their home maintenance list and practice them regularly!

Category: Flood Damage in Cleveland Texas