If My Coastal Home Floods What Are The Main Problems I Need to Worry About?

9/8/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO's Extensive Equipment Transported by Our Large Green Fleet Provides Fort Lee Homeowners with Superior Flood Damage Cleanup and Restoration

SERVPRO Technicians Can Provide Emergency Mitigation and Restore Your Fort Lee Home to Pre-Loss Condition

Coastal towns such as Fort Lee can be subject to storms at any time of the year. Rising sea levels enhance the chance of coastal storms and flooding. Over the past 93 years, this quaint town has experienced approximately 12” of sea-level rise. The higher the sea level, the higher the starting point for high tides and storm surges. Both of which increase the frequency and severity of flooding.

What Can I Do Before Help Arrives?

 When homeowners experience a flood, their first thought is to do what they can to help. The best thing you can do is to be prepared before the storms hit. Your family should have an emergency plan in place. Make sure everyone in your family knows where to go and what to do in the case of an emergency disaster situation. Be prepared to contact our professionals for floodwater extraction in Fort Lee as soon as possible.

If you know flooding is imminent, remove heirlooms and valuables to higher levels. Keep copies of all your essential documents in a waterproof bag to take with you. Cut off power to your utilities, if possible. Never, ever risk you or your family's lives for possessions. Always listen to local news and evacuate when recommended.

What are the Main Threats to My Home?

Floodwaters bring with them conditions that are not found in typical water intrusions. The type of water is the primary concern. Floodwater is known as blackwater and creates a hazardous situation. Microbial growth, bacteria, and other contaminants infest the water and require PPE to enter the water. Never enter your home while contaminated water is still in place. Other potential threats include:

• Structural Damage – Structural elements can weaken and deteriorate the longer they are exposed to moisture.
• Material Deterioration – Content and construction materials deteriorate rapidly when left in standing water.
• Secondary Damage – Mold can develop within 24 hours if water damage is left untreated.

What Does Flood Cleanup Involve?

 Extracting the contaminated water is going to be the main concern. When floodwaters surge through your house, it is absorbed by many types of materials. Walls, insulation, and sheetrock are examples of materials that typically cannot get restored in this situation. Removing the wet sections immediately is vital. If left untreated, moisture can spread to unaffected areas. Basically, the process involves:

• Removing and disposing of items which cannot be salvaged
• Muck out and removal of debris, mud, and silt
• Scrubbing walls and floors
• Drying process
• Content management and pack-out if needed
• Sanitizing and disinfecting
• Deodorizing

We have powerful trash pumps that can remove water that contains debris. Our technicians are trained to mitigate flood damage. They implement moisture tracking and dry procedures to return your home to preloss condition.

What Happens to My Walls and Floors?

Flooding can leave behind all kinds of debris. Leaves, mud, and silt are common. SERVPRO techs use shovels, rakes, and other equipment to handle the mess left behind. The soils that are part of that cling to walls and floors. It can be challenging to remove the dirt and stains that remain. Our team employs a combination of methods to mitigate the damage. This includes such techniques as manual scrubbing with dusters and brushes. Professional cleaning agents get used along with antimicrobial and antifungal products to clean and sanitize.

Carpeting and padding in a floodwater situation is a loss. The contamination is too significant to restore either the carpet or padding. A porous material, such as carpet and wood, are not easily salvaged. You can be sure if it can be salvaged and restored, our technicians do so.

What About My Furniture?

As with flooring furniture that is constructed from a porous material such as wood or upholstery fabric may be a loss. The contaminated water is too great a risk when it comes to bacteria and other biohazards. It is much safer to replace these items than to attempt to restore them. SERVPRO always works with you and your insurance adjuster to determine what stays and what goes.

Professional Storm Damage Cleanup

There is much more involved in mitigating a flood scene. Factors like how fast the water recedes and how long things sit in standing water impact the floodwater extraction process. Content management may involve removing the contents of your home to our warehouses for cleaning and restoration.

Our company knows how devastating a flood can be to your family. We have homes and families in Fort Lee too. We strive to take the stress of flood cleanup off your shoulders. You can trust our technicians to leave your home, “Like it never even happened.” Place your home into the hands of a company that cares not only about your home but about your family too.

 Contact SERVPRO of Fort Lee at (496) 6024 for expert flood water restoration service. We’re Faster To Any Size Disaster.