Cleaning After a Flood

1/18/2019 (Permalink)

Air mover on a water damage in Fairless Hills, PA

When floodwater in the home is gone, and most of the heavy work is finished, many Fairless Hills,PA, families and individuals want to slip back into life as they knew it before the disaster. Unfortunately, all the wood, fabric, drywall, and other materials exposed to the water have probably absorbed the liquid. Moving belongings back into your house too soon could lead to ongoing problems, such as mold growth, pest infestations, and long-term deterioration. Remember, flood water isn't clean; it needs to be handled differently than other types of water disasters, such as a broken pipe.

Focus on Safety

Before taking your first recovery steps, make sure you know how to proceed safely.

• Arrange structural, electrical, fire, and gas inspections, so you know the home is safe to enter.
  
• Wear sturdy, protective clothing. It's best to have waterproof protection.
  
• Don't mix chemicals, such as chorine and ammonia, when cleaning.
  
• Watch out for pests hiding in flooding, including snakes and fire ants.
  
  

If you're not sure about safety and water in the home, get more information from water damage remediation professionals and local authorities.

Contact Appropriate Professionals

Your next steps should include contacting your insurance adjuster, scheduling repairs and cleaning from professionals in Fairless Hills,PA, and making sure your electricity and gas have been turned off. With these tasks completed, move on to cleaning and disinfecting your property.

Identify the Work

Working closely with the remediation professionals, you'll separate items into at least three categories: to clean yourself, to leave for the technicians, and to discard. There are many repairs you can handle yourself. Clothing may be wet or could have a mildew smell. It's generally safe for laundering or dry cleaning those items on your own. However, expensive and structural items should be turned over to professionals. Your carpets, flooring, furniture, and walls present cleaning challenges that require specialized techniques and training. Finally, some items, such as mattresses, must be thrown out for your family's health.

Water in your home requires a lot of work even after floods recede. When you know what to do and who to call for help, that work can progress smoothly and efficiently.