NO OBLIGATION QUOTE

Serious Flood Cleanup

When entering your home, it is advisable to be exercise caution. In case of still standing water, you need to wear rubber boots and gloves, turn off the electricity if needed, be aware of shock hazards. Make sure that there are no sharp or harmful objects lying in the way and that you can easily move around.

Move dry objects to dry area’s.

Drinking water should either be boiled or bottled.

If you suspect anything to be contaminated, you should throw it out. Any kind of furniture, carpets, food, books, etc. should be disposed off by following your local disposal procedures. Even electronics like television and refrigerators that have been underwater, should be thrown away as it is easier to buy new ones rather than repair the damaged ones.

While cleaning the remains, you need to be extra careful to wear gloves and a mask so that you do not accidentally inhale any contamination. All the bedding, towels, cushions, curtains, etc. should be washed and dried in washing machines. Clothes that cannot be washed up in a washing machine should be dry cleaned. Crockery and cutlery should be put through the dishwasher on a hot cycle.

The water remains should be removed by cleaning the stagnant water with the help of a wet dry vacuum. Once this is done, a high power low temperature dehumidifier should be used in order to dehumidify the whole area. Open the windows of your house instead of turning on the heat or the fans, as the closed environment allows mold spores to grow and spread around the house. Dry out gradually so the wood floors do not bend or deform. Surfaces like walls, floors, and cupboards should be thoroughly cleaned with bleach-water solution and then washed with plain water.

 A more feasible option would be to use a vapor steam cleaner for sanitizing the surfaces. In order to make sure that your house does not get infected with mold, it is advisable to check for any internal damage to walls and furniture.

Replace all the flooded hardwood floors with new ones and allow for cross-ventilation till your house has completely dried out as fresh air is the best way to get rid of molds and fungi. Once the house has dried out, it is necessary to check the electrical and plumbing system of your house. For this, it is safe to hire an HVAC professional. Have him check all the switches and filters of your house and also inspect the heating system as it may have been damaged during the flood.

A Description of Severe House Flood Damages and Cleanup:

Floods can completely destroy your house, starting from the walls and floors to your possessions and even the whole environment of your house.

Flood water can be highly contaminated, as it consists of many impurities as well as mud. Stronger floods not only damage your furniture and appliances but they also harm the foundation, roofing and sewage system of the house.

Here are some common ways of cleaning and disinfecting the flood-contaminated items.

• If your home owners insurance covers all the damage the flood brought over, call your agent or Insurance Company claims department and ask him when you can expect to receive an adjuster to look at the damage. In most severe floods Insurance Companies could get backed up for days. Make a list of all the damaged items and also take pictures and/or video of them so that they might help you in making insurance claims, applying for aid and for exemptions in income tax.

• Remove all the contaminated mud with a shovel and also wash it away from hard surfaces.

• Clean all the surfaces with hot water or a cleaner. After they have been cleaned, wipe them out with a disinfectant.

 In the kitchen-

• Put all your non-metal kitchenware like plastic and porcelain for 10 to 15 minutes in a solution of 2 tablespoons of chlorine bleach per gallon of hot water. After 15 minutes, take them out and let them air dry. Wash again in a Hot Water dishwasher. For metallic kitchenware, simply boil in water for 10 minutes and do not use chlorine bleach for them as it will react adversely with the metals. Also clean all the cupboards and cabinets of the kitchen with a disinfectant.

All the listed Flood Cleanup tips are Only Suggestions for severe floods some due to mud and deep River floods. At your own risk.

Furniture and household items-

• Open all the windows of your house to allow for ventilation. This can help to get rid of moisture and humidity in the house. Remove all your furniture, carpets, and clothing from the house and take out to dry. Any items that have been infected with molds should also be taken out as the mold might spread or break up. In order to avoid inhaling contaminated air, wear a mask and then vacuum all the floors, walls and ceilings of the house. After the vacuum, wash them with a disinfectant or chlorine bleach and water solution.

 • Throw away all the mattresses as they soak up all the impurities. Also bring over a professional to clean and disinfect any leather or fabric padded furniture. • Throw away all the wood coated furniture as it is more costly to repair it than to buy new one. Keep the solid wood furniture as it can be repaired if it is not too damaged.

• Water-soaked stuff toys should also be thrown away as they are highly contaminated and dangerous for kids to play with.

• Important documents, books and photographs should be put in plastic bags and frozen to protect them from any further damage from molds. When you are done with everything else and you have enough time, defrost them and ask a professional to come over and clean them for you so that further impairment may be avoided.

Ceilings and walls-

• Wallboards and paneling, if infected with floodwater, should be removed as it can be an enduring health hazard. If majority of the wallboard was drenched in clean rainwater, cut a 4 to 12 inch high section from the top and bottom of walls to create a chimney effect for faster drying. For this purpose, use a reciprocating saw. Watch out for any wires or pipes while using the tip of the saw blade.

• Let the air be circulated through plaster and paneling to dry the projections.

 • All three insulations are to be treated differently. Styrofoam can be cleaned with plain water. Fiberglass should be completely dried if you wish to keep it in use. Blown-in cellulose should be thrown away because it loses its anti-fungal and fire proof abilities because of holding contaminated water for too long.

Electrical system

 This system should be immediately turned off and an electrician should be called in for checking all the switches, sockets and wirings. Before turning the system back on, all the junctions and wires should be completely dried out.

Heating and cooling systems and ducts

• All the ducts and the heating and cooling systems should be thoroughly inspected and any water soaked insulations should be replaced with new ones.

Pump out the basement

• If your basement has been fully or partially flooded with water, do not attempt to pump out all the water at once. Only pump out a little amount every day so that the pressure inside and outside the walls stays consistent. If you pump out all the water at once the outside pressure may overcome the inside pressure, causing your house to collapse.

• Carpeting should be thrown out after mud and other debris and furniture are removed.

• Vinyl Remove the vinyl flooring in order to allow the subflooring to dry out.

• Wood Floors Wood floors should be dried out slowly and very carefully in order to avoid crumpling of the floor. Immediate attention is required to dry to stop buckling of the floors. Hardwood floor boards should be removed. Before starting the repair, clean and dry out the wood floors.

Roof damage and leaks

• Defective Flashing Wet spots near a chimney or on the roof walls may indicate a loose or dislocated roof flashing causing the leakage of flood water. Flashing is a waterproof metal sheet mostly installed at any break in a graveled roofline. Check the flashing for corrosion or dislocations and get it replaced if there is any sign of damage.

 • Clogged Downspouts or Eves Check for water blocked on the eaves of the floor. Any water accumulated on the eaves may cause the roof to leak ultimately. Pump out the water from the eaves and also look for ice accumulations as it may force the melting snow to move into cracks and crevices and cause further leakage.

 • Cracks and deterioration Check southern slopes for any cracks and damage as these roofs often deteriorate on southern disclosure.

• Holes Missing gravel in the rooftop can cause holes and lead to wet spots inside the house or on the ceiling. Check for these holes by looking for light spots coming through the roof into the loft. Stick a straw or wire through them to indicate the holes from outside so that they can be easy to spot and repair.

If you require professional advice or any assistance dealing with floods, you can
call A Brite Cleaning & Restorations Inc. at 1-877-522-7483.