Flooding can even bring contaminants inside your home.
Flooding can cause tremendous damage to a home or business. When this happens, restoration businesses are faced with numerous calls since these events can impact thousands of homes and businesses.
Flood and contaminants. Flooding brings contaminants into the home from outside, causing damage to property. The contaminants also present a serious health risk. According to the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) https://www.iicrc.org/, all such flooding is classified as Category 3 damage. In Category 3 situations, the IICRC recommends that all porous materials be removed and properly disposed of because of the obvious damage and the difficulty in sanitizing such materials. Porous materials include: carpet, pad, upholstered furniture, drywall, particle board furniture, paper, cardboard, insulation and other materials. Structural wood is classified as “semi-porous” and can be successfully sanitized and remain in place. The same is true for solid wood furniture, although the furniture will probably need to be refinished – which should be considered in evaluating the save/dispose decision.
Flooding doesn’t just happen in low lying areas. It can also happen when snow melts too fast. Floods are the most common and widespread of all weather-related disasters.
Extent of damage. In many instances, the flood damage is simply beyond the ability of most property owners. A professional restoration business has the equipment, supplies and trained and certified staff to properly deal with damage resulting from an over-the-ground flood.
Restoration process. The first step in restoration includes removing any remaining water, mud or sludge, as well as any contents and structural materials that cannot be properly restored. Professionals will then use professional-strength products and EPA-approved disinfectants to clean and sanitize all remaining materials: structure, fixtures and any salvageable contents.
The “hidden areas.” It’s possible that there is damage to areas of a home that may not be obvious to the home owner – areas such as behind bath and shower inserts, under cabinets and in crawl spaces. (https://restoration1ofwestdenver.com/finishing-your-crawl-space) A professional restoration firm will examine and properly treat these spaces. This work can be done even if there is no power at the structure.
Drying the structure. In a home, this normally means that the power needs to be restored. In commercial property (and sometimes with homes), large generators will be brought to the site to provide the necessary power. A professional restoration business has state-of-the-science dehumidifiers and high capacity air movers. Damage specialists will know how to calculate how much equipment is necessary to dry the home or business effectively and efficiently. In all water damage situations, cleaning and drying are accomplished as quickly as possible to help prevent the development of mold and other fungi in the structure.
Ready for structural repairs. After removal, decontamination and drying, the home or other structure is now ready for any structural repairs that need to be made and for new furnishings to be put into place.
For flood and other damages, call Restoration1 of West Denver at 303-416-7080.