As the water rises and rains continue, cresting banks have put your home under water. Now, as the levels begin to subside, it is time to act quickly to limit the damage flooding causes to your home. By removing the water and materials like carpet, you will be able to prevent damage from getting worse and get your home back to normal sooner. Here are a few tips for doing damage control after waters subside and you begin the cleanup process:
1. Ditch the Bucket and Siphon or Pump the Flood Waters Out
Bailing out water by the bucket-full is going to take days, and the damage will only get worse. Instead of using a bucket alone, grab the garden hose and begin siphoning the water out. Be careful not to get a mouthful of contaminated water. Fuel siphon pumps usually have a rubber squeeze primer on them to avoid getting a mouthful of flood water.
In addition, submersible pumps and shop vacuums are also helpful tools for cleaning up flooded buildings. Rental services often have contractor grade pumps to get the water out faster. You may also want to see about getting an industrial vacuum, which is a larger version of common shop vacuums. Using the larger vacuum, you will be able to clean up sediment and debris easier.
2. Rank Carpet and Damaged Flooring Out to Sweep Out Sediments
When your home has been damaged during a flood, flooring materials like carpet likely must be completely removed. Carefully pull the carpet up, keeping it in whole pieces in case it can be cleaned and reinstalled in your home. Other flooring materials like wood also get severely damaged when homes are flooded and will likely need to be replaced. Flooring materials like tile and vinyl are usually durable enough to withstand a flood, but will need a good cleaning after you have swept all the sediments out of your home.
3. Remove Drywall, Clean Up, and Dry Out Before Restorations Begin
The other materials that need to be removed when cleaning up a flood include:
- Drywall on lower sections of wall
- Wood trim that has been exposed to flooding
- Absorbent materials like fibric on floor-to-ceiling curtains
You want to start by removing wood trim, long window treatments and other absorbent materials before you cut drywall. When you are ready to cleanup drywall, cut it in a level line above the waterline of where the flood reached. If you are lucky, you will be able to remove a 48-inch section, which should be a tape line and whole width pieces of drywall. After the sheetrock is gone, open your home up and use fans to dry everything. A contractor rental service will have commercial fans for water damage cleanup that you can use to thoroughly dry your home out.
When waters begin to subside, you want to act quickly to reduce damage and the costs of repairs. Contact a contractor equipment rental service to get the tools professionals use to cleanup your home quickly after flooding and prevent further damage.
