Category: Water damage repair

Flood is a major water damage occurrence, its effect have been known to cause a lot of negative effect to lives and property. It is one of the major natural disaster, flood victims need to be aware of how to ensure a safe clean-up process after a flood incident. The aftermath effects of flood incidents can often be more than the damage it causes when it occurs. If a proper clean-up process is not ensured, it could lead to potential health risk and bigger problems for flood victims. Sanitary Experts advises that both flood victims and residents of area where the flood had occurred should carry out a disinfection operation on all objects or materials that the flood has touched.  Two percent chlorine bleach solution with water is required for scrubbing down all hard surfaces and floors that the flood passed through, the chlorine bleach can be measured in two or three capful which can be added to the water needed for the scrubbing. Safety apparatus like boots and gloves are required to be worn by those who will carry out the disinfection.

Safety Health Precautions to be taken after a flood incident

• Enter a flood damage room with care:  After a flood incident, different parts of the building get prone to fall, safety apparatus is need to be worn while entering a flood damaged room. Such safety apparatus may include head gear to avoid plaster falling over the head, safety boots to avoid stepping on nail.
• All electrical equipment’s and gas should be turned off immediately:     There are potential risk of electrocution in rooms that have been affected by flood. It is important that when entering such rooms, rubber boots and gloves be worn in order to switch off all electrical appliances and gas to avoid any further complications.
• Avoid allowing open wounds or scratches come in contact with the flood water;. Flood waters cannot be trusted as they are high chances that they have been heavily contaminated. Sewage is often transported to different places during flood incidents leading to a contamination of all areas touched by the flood. Wounds or scratches sustained during flood incidents should be treated immediately with tetanus injection.
• Avoid edibles that have come in contact with flood waters:. Foods, drinks and other edibles that have been contacted by the flood should be thrown away. Flood waters are highly contaminated with bacteria. Also plates, spoons and other kitchen utensils should be properly cleaned and washed thoroughly with bleach solution and water.
• Foods and other edibles that have been refrigerated should be checked once there is power outage;. Items kept in the freezer or refrigerator should be checked. Any item that have been defrosted either partially or completely should be thrown away.
• Boil water before use either for drinking or cooking:. Once a drinking water is detected to have some offensive odor or unusual colour or cloudy, it is advised that the water be put in a rolling boil. Such water has to be boiled to one hundred degree Celsius before use for whatever purpose it is intended to serve.

Following these set of guidelines would afford one to have a proper clean-up process after a flood incident and most importantly avoid any further complication.

Flooding often leads to serious loss and damage of valuables such as furniture, floor coverings like rugs and carpets and electrical equipment which most times get damaged beyond repair. More often than none, flood victims give up on some of these valuables disposing them away not knowing that some of the can be repaired or used again if cleaned properly. A good example of materials that are still useable after flood incident are flood damaged carpets and rugs.

In a situation where there is a rug or carpet that has been damaged by flood, the action to be taken often depends on the source of the flooding. Cases whereby flood arose from a clean water under the basement seepage can be dealt with easily. Cleaning in such category of flood is often very easy.  However, in situations whereby the flood has been mixed with sewage, which automatically is contaminated, carpeting and rugs in such situations have to be thrown away completely basically for good health reasons. Carpeting and rugs in such situations are often contaminated with organisms that poses threat to the health of users. However, one may consider the quality and cost of the contaminated rug, such as large area rug or wall to wall carpeting and decide to spare the expensive cost required to clean up such rug or carpeting. But the tome, expense or even the health risk that could be incurred in such decision might be discouraging. There are companies that specializes in cleaning contaminated carpets or rugs. Such companies must be duly contacted to do the cleaning of the contaminated carpet or rug. The best method with which a contaminated rug or carpet is cleaned is thorough steam cleaning also known as hot water extraction. However, unlike contaminated rugs or water, carpets or rugs affected under floods of clean water, can be self-done.

Carpets that have been soaked in rain can also be decide on whether to clean or to discard. But in this case, such decision is dependent on the number of days the carpet or rug had been soaked. Carpets or rugs that have been soaked for over 24 hours are advised to be discarded. However, when they have only been soaked for 12hours or more but not up to 24 hours, they should be considered for cleaning either as do-it-yourself thing or a professional hand is being employed to do the cleaning. Carpeting should be dried quickly. This is to avoid the growth of mold which can lead to health related problems.  Such drying can be possible whether by spreading it under the sun outside or if it can be removed, a wet/dry vacuum system should be used while the air conditioner is turned on to circulate air, the  fans and  windows are to be opened  to discourage the potential  growth of mold leading to an healthy environment. A dehumidifier can be of great help while doing indoor drying but windows must be kept closed when dehumidifier is in use.