Keeping water damage to a minimum involves completing three major steps as soon as possible: flooding removal, water extraction, and structural drying. The first and most obvious step is removing standing water. Water removal often involves clearing a blocked drain or sewer, then letting gravity do its job.
Types of flood water removal
- Assess the Situation
Whether you’re dealing with water damage from a burst pipe, a backed-up sewage, or natural disaster flooding, restoration must be done with care. This is unquestionably an area where expert assistance is required. If water and moisture are not effectively removed from building components, mold and mildew will grow over time.
- Stop the Cause
If at all feasible, eliminate the source of the water entering the region. For example, if a pipe breaks, turn off the water main outside the building to stop the flow of water into the facility.
- Water Removal
Depending on the amount of water, the first step in removing the water is with the help of industrial strength wet/dry vacuums and powerful submersible pumps.Vacuums can be used to remove excess water from hardwood floors, carpets, and porous surfaces. Pumps can remove gallons of water at a time.
Drying the Space
Proper drying is of paramount importance. The affected area needs to be fully dried in order for repairs to begin. When outdoor humidity levels are high or a large volume of water has been brought into the area, a commercially approved portable dehumidifier can be utilized to speed up drying.
Sealing off the damaged area and using a professional grade dehumidifier with numerous air moving fans to remove moisture from the area is the ideal technique in order to dry larger areas.
Clean Up
To prevent mold or mildew growth, treat damaged surfaces with the appropriate chemicals. Applying disinfectant to unclean surfaces reduces its germ-killing efficacy significantly. Therefore, Surfaces must first be cleansed using general-purpose cleansers to remove dirtand debris.
Replace Damaged Materials
If you have places that have been significantly damaged, you should hire a professional contractor to repair or replace those sections. Your homeowner’s insurance policy may even mandate it. It’s best to start by contacting them to check if they have an approved list of flood cleanup specialists.
Monitor for Water Residual Effects
Sometimes undetected harm is discovered after the clean-up is completed. After you’ve done the task, keep an eye on the region. Mold and mildew will continue to grow if restoration work is performed without allowing the area to dry completely, or if the region is not cleaned correctly.
Flood Restoration in the Immediate Aftermath
- Attempt to relocate any furniture and precious things from the ground before flood waters arrive. This reduces the likelihood of the items and things from being severely destroyed by flood waters.
- Because of the quantity of pollutants in flood water, make sure that everyone exits the property and gets safe shelter. Flood water is dangerous and has a significant chance of making you sick.
- Turn off the electricity and gas if it is safe to do so. This reduces the possibility of gas leaks or electrical charges in the water.