Water damage caused by flooding can be especially devastating to a home. People who experience a house flooded with water can be put into a situation where restoration from water damage is needed as soon as possible. The longer flood water is allowed to sit in your home, the greater chance there is for permanent structural damage. That’s why you should consider hiring a professional flood cleanup company like First & Last Restoration in Greater Baltimore Area Maryland if your home has flooded.
What Can Be Affected by Flood Damage
Flooding in your Greater Baltimore Area Maryland home can be the result of a variety of factors. Flood clean up can be needed after a disastrous event such as storm damage or heavy rains letting floodwater into a home, or even a burst pipe or malfunctioning appliance that results in a flooded basement. Restoration water damage can be applied to the flood damage that occurs to the different parts of a home including:
Flooring
A flooded basement can mean the possibility of standing water seeping into the floor. Once the water reaches the subfloor, it can turn into an unmanageable situation. Flood damage can be especially bad if the flooring is porous hardwood, and even worse if you have carpet. If you have a flood in the basement, flood cleanup and proper drying will be needed soon in order to perform proper water damage restoration.
Walls
Walls can be at risk and in need of flooding cleanup. Water can saturate walls and ruin the insulation. Having a flooded basement can lead to the possibility of permanent structural damage and even after the water is removed from the basement, mold can grow due to the moisture content. Like water damage to flooring, water damage to walls will require immediate flood cleanup, and a professional team will remove all water and perform complete drying procedures in order to mitigate the water and mold damage to the basement.
Furniture and Appliances
Furniture and appliances that have been left in a flooded basement can be very susceptible to water damage. As a part of the flood cleanup process, these items can be restored by a professional water removal and mold remediation company. Something like a couch can be completely dried and disinfected to prevent the growth of mold. Dealing with the precious items you might have otherwise lost in a flood is an important step of the flood damage restoration process.
A 3 Step Guide to Flood Cleanup
Whether it’s in your basement or it localizes in any other section of your home or business, flood cleanup is necessary for when you need to remove water. Having the knowledge of how the flood cleanup process works will help you to find a greater understanding of the process flood cleanup professionals go through when working on a basement flood. And it can help you apply these steps so you can even perform smaller flood cleanup jobs on your own.
Step One: Get the Right Equipment and Prepare Accordingly
It’s incredibly important to be prepared by using the proper equipment before you start a flood cleanup job. Having protective gear such as masks, gloves, and rubber boots can protect you from toxic mold spores and any other diseases that can be found in contaminated water waste. Before entering a flooded area, you should make sure that the plumbing and electricity are turned off to ensure your safety. Use a plastic tarp where you can to cover any holes in a roof that have allowed water to enter a home. The area where the flooding took place should be sectioned off during the job to avoid contamination to the rest of the building. And after the water is removed and the disinfection process has started, doors and windows should be opened to help with ventilation. You’re going to need certain professional equipment, such as large pumps or vacuums, to remove the water. And industrial sized fans or dehumidifiers can be used for the drying process. A professional flood cleanup company should already have access to all these things.
Step Two: Remove All Water
The only way to remediate water damage and completely mitigate the threat of mold growth in a basement or anywhere else in a building is the removal of all water that is the result of flooding. Industrial grade pumps and vacuums must first be used to completely remove all water from the flooded area. After the flooding is removed, this is where the drying process starts. Using equipment such as fans and dehumidifiers and opening doors and windows to encourage ventilation is a crucial step to ensure the complete dryness of the floor, walls, and ceiling. Getting rid of all water is a crucial step in order to make sure further damages do not occur.
Step Three: Repair the Flood Damage
This is where the flood cleanup process really starts. Any debris should be removed from the flooded area and everything should be cleaned and disinfected to prevent the growth of mold and mitigate further damages. Sections of floors, walls, or ceilings that have been damaged by water can be repaired by removing the areas saturated by water and patching up the holes left behind. Items, such as furniture, can be wiped down and cleaned with disinfectant spray. All of these steps come together to bring your home or business back to the state it was before the flooding occurred and prevent further damages by reinforcing your pipes, appliances, or roofing to make sure there is less risk of flooding in the future.
First & Last Restoration Is a Professional Flood Cleanup Company
If you’re looking for a flood cleanup company that will be there for you every step of the process, you can trust First & Last Restoration. We provide restoration for water damage to our community through our tried and true services. For any large flood cleanup job, it’s better to hire a company so the job gets done as safely and effectively as possible. We’ll even work with your insurance company so you can focus on getting your life back on track. To learn more about our flood cleanup services give us a call at (443) 400-7593.
