Why Does Flood Damage Require Extra Cleanup?

4/28/2020 (Permalink)

Clean water coming out of a dishwasher in a Hibsaw, OK home

When your home in Hibsaw, OK, floods during a storm, you may think that all you need to do is remove the water and dry it out. All flooding is not created equal, though. The remediation process for damage from storms is different from the process used to handle a pipe break. The reason for this difference is contamination.

Contamination Levels

There are many different events that can cause water damage to your home. The first thing that flood restoration specialists consider when determining how to mitigate the damage is the contamination level of the water:

Category 1 - clean water from pipes or supply lines
Category 2 - dirty water from appliances or bathtub overflow
Category 3 - contaminated water from sewage or storms

Materials damaged from contaminated water cannot just be removed. The remaining parts of the structure also have to be cleaned to rid them of bacteria and other microbes. The more bacteria that are potentially present, the more in-depth the cleanup process needs to be.

Contamination Reach
The immediate area where the flooding occurs is not the only place that needs disinfection when technicians are tackling storm damage. The high winds that accompany storms can carry bacteria throughout your home. A thorough cleaning of all surfaces, including those in the air vents and crawl spaces, helps ensure that your home is free of contamination when the restoration is complete.

Contamination Effects
This thorough approach stops flood damage in its tracks. Disinfecting every surface after a storm helps prevent secondary damage, which can manifest as either mold patches or more water damage. The sooner your home can be cleaned, the more successful you will be at avoiding further problems.
Flooding from a storm can leave your home vulnerable to contamination, but professional cleanup can take care of it. By taking the necessary extra steps to make sure your home is not only dry but clean, technicians can restore your home to the way it was before the flood.