Restoring a Flooded Property

7/26/2017 (Permalink)

Restoring a Flooded Property

There are few events more serious for a property owner than incurring major water damage. A pipe break, supply line break or other source of water damage, even if the amount seems small and has apparently been contained, has the potential to cause major damage to the property, up to and including its total loss.

As a result, water damage must be treated as an acute emergency. The only effective way to deal with a flooded home is to call in a professional restoration company. A team of restoration professionals, with the high-powered and sophisticated equipment that the emergency calls for, will be able to act quickly, minimizing or eliminating the chances of permanent flood damage befalling the property. However, if the restoration of water damage is delayed, the chances of the property incurring costly superficial or structural damage begins rising quickly.

If a home experiences a pipe break, supply line break or other source of potential flood damage, there is an established protocol for dealing with the problem. A flooded home doesn't have to fall victim to serious flood damage or even being condemned. With the right restoration and mitigation techniques and with a timely response, the flood damage can be contained and completely reversed.

Any time there is water in a home or water in a business, the first and most crucial step is to call in a professional water restoration company. The sooner the mitigation process is started, the higher the likelihood of a complete success. If the water cleanup process is started within five hours of the initial flooding event, the likelihood of a successful mitigation is near 100 percent. But if the water cleanup is delayed more than 24 hours, the chances of the property incurring serious and lasting damage begin to rise starkly, with every hour that goes by.

When the water cleanup team arrives, they will use high-tech gear to assess the extent of the water in the home or water in the business. They will be able to determine if water has seeped into the materials that make up the subflooring or if structural elements, such as beams, joists and studs, will require a thorough drying.

If there is any standing water in the business or home, the team will begin extracting it. This will be accomplished through the use of heavy equipment. Industrial pumping systems and specialized vacuum hoses will be used to remove up to 2,000 gallons of water per hour. The water extraction phase should only last an hour or two, at the maximum. During this stage, if there are any active leaks from pipe breaks or supply line breaks, they will be addressed. In some cases, pipe breaks or supply line breaks may need to be welded.

Once all the water in the home or water in the business has been removed, the drying process can begin. The cleanup team will use industrial-strength drying apparatuses to both dry materials in the home as well as dehumidifying the air. The drying process is usually the longest part of the total restoration effort, usually taking between a couple of hours and an entire day. Once completed, the structure will no longer be at any risk of further damage. And it is likely that a full restoration to the property's prior condition will be nearly complete.

Finally, the home or business will be cleansed and sanitized. This will be carried out on furniture, household items, carpeting, flooring and walls. At this point, the property will be fully restored.
Visit http://www.SERVPROofhuntvalley.com for more information on water damage.