Indoor flooding can occur for a variety of reasons. In Southwest Florida, the most common cause of major flooding is tropical storms and hurricanes. Extensive flooding can also result from plumbing issues, such as a leaky or burst pipe or your sewer line backing up. Even just heavy rains can cause the ground around your house to get so waterlogged that water continually flows into your home through the foundation.
No matter what type of flooding you’re dealing with, it’s important that you know what steps you need to take to minimize the damage. You also need to know whether the issue requires the help of a professional water damage restoration company.
Initial Steps to Take Following Flooding
An area of your home could start flooding due to a burst pipe or major plumbing leak. If so, the first thing you need to do is shut off your water by closing the valve on your main water line. If you can’t locate the valve or can’t get it to close, you’ll need to contact your local water department’s emergency line.
Have them send someone out to shut off your water from the street. If sewage flooded your home due to your sewer line backing up, you need to make sure that no one uses your plumbing to prevent more sewage from flowing out of your drains.
If any part of the building gets flooded to the point where the water reaches an electrical outlet, you need to immediately call a professional flood damage specialist. Then, don’t go into that area. If a pipe in a ceiling causes flooding, it’s also important not to touch the switches for the lights in that area.
When dealing with any type of flooding that doesn’t pose a potential electrical hazard, it’s important to immediately start trying to remove as much of the water as you can. The best option is usually to suck up the water with a wet/dry shop vacuum and dump it outside. You’ll also want to use towels to sop up the water so you can minimize how much soaks into your floors. If you’re dealing with extensive flooding or don’t have a vacuum to suck the water up, you should immediately call a professional.
After cleaning up the water, you’ll then want to start assessing the damage and see what all the water soaked into. It’s also a good idea to start running as many fans as you have so that everything dries out more quickly. If you have any furniture or other items that got soaked, you should take them outside to dry if possible or just throw them away if they’re not valuable or necessary.
Can Flooding Lead to Mold Growth?
The main reason why you need to dry out everything as quickly as possible and remove any overly waterlogged items from the building is to lessen the chances of mold growth. It usually takes no more than 48 hours after flooding before mold begins growing and spreading. In some cases, mold can even start growing in as little as 24 hours.
Another concern if you don’t clean up the water immediately is that harmful bacteria can quickly start growing in it. This concern is why you should always call in professional help if flood damage occurs while you’re away. Then, do not go into the flooded area until the technicians have cleaned it up and assessed the risk.
Do You Need to Replace Flooring and Drywall After Flooding?
The answer to this question is a bit tricky, as it depends on the extent of the flooding and how much damage it caused. It also depends on how quickly everything got dried out and whether the flooding led to mold growth.
This is one reason why it’s important to schedule a professional flood damage assessment to determine what can and can’t be saved and the extent of the restoration that’s needed to fix the damage. Hiring a professional to tackle the flooding can also help to minimize the amount of restoration work that’s needed.
You can often save some types of flooring if the water is removed promptly and then the flooring is dried out quickly. If the water soaked into the subfloor, you may need to replace both the overlying flooring and the subfloor. If a carpeted area got flooded, you’ll almost always need to remove the carpet and replace it after drying out the subfloor.
You can sometimes save drywall if it didn’t get too wet. However, it’s usually recommended to cut out and replace any of it that got wet, as water can damage its structural integrity. In cases of more severe flooding, the drywall in at least some parts of the wall or ceiling will always need to be removed. That’s partly because it is necessary to dry out the wooden studs or floor joists and also because any insulation that got wet can’t be saved.
How Professional Flood Damage Restoration Works
Professional flood damage restoration takes at least a few days due to all of the steps involved. The first step in certain cases is to determine the cause of the flooding and take steps to prevent it from continuing to occur. This usually means locating a plumbing leak and then shutting off the water to the building. In case of major flooding, the technicians will shut off the power as well just to be safe.
The next step is to extract all of the water and then start assessing the extent of the damage. Assessing the damage involves visual inspections and also using thermal imaging cameras and moisture meters to detect what got wet and locate waterlogged building materials inside walls and ceilings and under flooring.
Once the technicians know the extent of the damage and what they need to remove, they’ll then set up barriers to cordon off the area. This will prevent any contaminants like mold and bacteria from spreading. They’ll also take steps to protect all items in that area if they can be saved.
The next step in the process is drying everything out and dehumidifying the area. This is done using powerful dehumidifiers and air movers. At this point in the process, the technicians will also begin removing all of the drywall, insulation, carpeting and other items that got wet and can’t be saved. It usually takes several days for everything to fully dry out, and the technicians will continually take moisture readings to make sure that everything gets fully dry.
Once everything is dry, the technicians will then apply microbial treatments to all of the affected surfaces and items to sanitize everything and prevent mold and bacterial growth. They’ll also run air scrubbers and use HEPA filters to tackle any air quality issues.
The last step is to again assess the damage and determine what work is needed to restore the building to its original condition. This includes replacing all of the drywall, insulation and carpeting that was removed, replacing other flooring if necessary, fixing the plumbing so it no longer leaks, finishing the walls or ceilings, etc.
Call Us Today
For the best, most reliable flood damage restoration services in Fort Myers and Southwest Florida, look to iMold. We can handle all of your needs from start to finish, including assessing the damage, drying everything out, tackling any mold issues and taking care of all of the necessary repairs. We’re available 24/7 and offer rapid response times so you can quickly get the help you need. For more information, contact us today.
