If you want to be sure the work is done securely and safely, you probably want to contact a professional. You can likely tell that outside help is essential for recovering from house floods. But when you have so much to worry about and work on, the last thing you want to do is make a mountain of calls. You want one team that can meet all your needs after house floods compromise your space. The team at Suncoast Mold Remediation has the tools, training, and track record of success that you want to have at your disposal.
Our team will be at your location instantly armed with the equipment and expertise to start solving problems. But with the help of our team, it can be erased effectively. If and when you ever need a fast response, call Suncoast Mold Remediation at We received a call from a homeowner that was distraught as he had just walked into his rental property and was seeing mold and water damage up on the ceiling.
His tenants had moved out a few days before and when he went in to inspect the property he noticed a musty odor throughout as […]. A water heater line broke and damaged the walls, floors, and kitchen cabinets. We came in and repaired the drywall, cabinets, and flooring in the kitchen and two adjacent rooms.
We got a call that a homeowner was having issues in and around their shower in their bathroom. They had an older home and it was wood construction so we feared the worst.
When we got into the bathroom it was as we had feared: the leaks went through the tile into the walls and […]. Palm Beach: Broward: Toggle navigation. House floods are more common than many people think. Take Pictures Your insurance provider may reimburse you for the damage caused by house flood as long as it is part of your coverage plan. Contact Your Insurance Company You will want to get in touch with your insurance company as soon as possible.
What to do if your house floods Stop the water at its source. Turn off the electricity. Call for help. Document everything. Start cleanup. Prevent mold damage. How to be prepared for a flood. Stop the water at its source. Renters: Call Your Landlord. Homeowners: Call Your Insurer.
Start the cleanup process. Flooding can happen anywhere—so be prepared. Fortunately, there are some precautions you can take to protect your home from the ravages of floods: Use water leak sensors to get early warning of unwanted water.
Install a smart home security system that includes flood detection. Get a sump pump to help prevent water damage and cleanup if you have any flooding. Use a waterproof safe for valuables and important documents. Related Pages on SafeWise. Compare the best home security systems. Compare the top home safety products.
Google Nest Protect. Amerex B Complete Earthquake Bag. Airthings Corentium. Resideo Water Leak Detector. Kidde KL-2S. Data as of post date. Written by. Celeste has dedicated her decade-long career to reporting and reviews that help people make well-informed decisions. She oversees editorial strategy and production for SafeWise, with a goal to help people find the information they need to make their homes and lives safer.
She continues to report on local news as a volunteer with the community paper. Read More. Do not start any repairs or demolition until they have sent an adjuster or they have authorized you to move forward. Document all the damage and make reports of conversations with your insurer as you move through the process. Clear communication is key in covering your loss and the restoration.
Find Honest, Reputable Contractors. Many times when a house flood is caused by a broken appliance or burst pipe, one of the first calls people make is to a plumber. The plumber will use his expertise to stop the leak, fix the pipe, or solve whatever plumbing issue is causing the flood.
Some plumbers will then recommend or refer specific restoration companies to help you remove the water and restore your property. Occasionally there are unethical business agreements between the two, where the restoration company pays the plumber a kickback for the referral and then recoups that kickback in you restoration bill.
Do not sign any contracts or let any restoration company start any demolition work before your insurance company has sent an adjuster to look at the damage and assess your claim. There are unsavory contractors that will do unnecessary work and you can get stuck with the bill. You should never sign a contract that removes you as the claimant and gives the restoration company ownership of your payout from the insurance company.
Their businesses are built on excellent customer service, fair pricing, and clear and honest estimates. They will help you file your claims but they will never insert themselves as the claimant and they will make sure your insurance company has authorized their work. Take Pictures of Everything. Before you start removing the water or arranging for cleanup from a house flood, be thorough about fully document all flood damage with pictures or video.
These photos and videos will be important to submit to your insurer as you begin the restoration process and file claims. Take as many pictures as possible and continue photo documentation throughout the entire clean up.
The more information you can provide, the better; and photographic evidence tells the story better than any other way. You will need pictures of structural and property damage as well as household items and furnishings that have been damaged or destroyed.
Keep careful documentation so that your insurance adjuster can make an accurate assessment of your loss. Remove standing water. Once the flood levels and the damage have been documented and photographed and you get authorization from your insurer to begin cleanup, you can start removing the water.
Depending on the amount of water you need to remove you can use buckets or hoses to bail or siphon the water. If you have to bail the water with buckets, keep in mind that water is heavy—a gallon of water weighs 7 pounds—so be careful not to injure yourself in the process. You can also rent or buy a sump pump to remove large amounts of water or a wet vac to suck up small amounts of standing water from carpets and floors.
If the flooding is minimal, you may be able to simply mop up the water with towels. The faster you can get the water out the better. In many cases if the water can be removed and drying can begin quickly, we are able to avoid extensive demolition or additional repairs.
The length of time the water is allowed to remain is one of the biggest factors in overall damage and restoration costs. Find and remove the "hiding water".
Water damage can be deceptive. It is easy to recognize and remove standing water, but water can also penetrate into structural cavities in homes and buildings, creating trapped pockets of moisture saturation. Because of the nature of the water itself, it can travel through the structural materials of floors, ceilings, and walls, sometimes without notice until it accumulates in low points or pockets.
The detection of water in structural cavities can often only be found with sensitive moisture meters. Be aware that undetected moisture will eventually lead to the formation of mold and other damage as building materials delaminate, split, shrink, and deteriorate over time.
Be sure to have your house or property inspected with moisture meters to ensure that all the water—hiding and standing—has been removed. Minimize Loss. After a flood, remove any damaged possessions that may be salvageable as soon as you safely can and start airing and drying them out, documenting as you go.
According to FEMA , mold can set in as soon as 24 hours after a flood, so the more quickly you remove salvageable belongings, the better chance you have of saving them. Document every item as you remove them from the property, in case they cannot be saved. Create lists of ruined items, noting when they were purchased and the approximate price and value. If items have been exposed to water for over 48 hours, they are not safe to keep and will likely already have mold spores that can be dangerous and hazardous to your health.
Additionally, never save or eat food that has been contaminated by flood water or even if it has been in close proximity to the flood area for any period of time. If the water reached your refrigerator or any pantry cupboards, it is safest to throw out all the food. Food contamination is dangerous and can even be deadly. Thoroughly sanitize and wash any dinnerware, glassware, or flatware before you use them again. Dry Things Out.
After the visible, standing water has been removed and you have identified hidden moisture pockets, it is time to dry things out. Mold and bacteria cannot grow on clean and dry materials, so getting things as dry as possible should be a top priority. But be aware that it takes time to get everything dry, particularly if conditions are humid.
You can and should employ many methods to dry your property including opening the windows if it is dry and not humid outside and running the air conditioner or heater to start. Large industrial fans and dehumidifiers can also be set up to target specific areas or rooms. Keep in mind that any materials that remain saturated for more than hours will need to be removed because of the risk of mold growth.
Speeding up the drying process in any ways you can will mitigate further damage. The flooring should be removed to expose the subfloor so it can start drying as soon as possible. Wood subfloors can take months to fully dry out. Carpet padding should be discarded and replaced. Carpets and vinyl flooring that were under water for less than 24 hours can only be salvaged if the floodwater was not contaminated.
They will need to be professionally cleaned and dried. Hardwood floorboards need special care and need to be dried slowly to prevent cracking and buckling.
Even cement foundations can hold water and will need time to dry. If you have to remove baseboards and drywall, be sure to take pictures before you start so that the insurer can see the height of water damage to the walls. You can also carefully poke holes at floor levels in the drywall to allow water trapped behind it to escape.
Large, wet pieces of furniture will likely be difficult to dry before mold growth begins and will usually need to be discarded. After flooding, there are industry standards and health recommendations regarding the dryness and moisture content of building materials.
Before renovation can begin, the wood and other materials need to be dry enough to meet these standards in order to ensure that mold will not grow. In many cases the materials may also have to be disinfected or treated to prevent bacterial and fungal growth. Be patient and careful and you will save yourself further complications down the road. Mitigate Mold. One of the greatest hazards after a flood is mold. We have all heard horror stories about mold growing unseen and unchecked until serious health conditions alerted homeowners to the problem.
Mold can cause serious respiratory problems and other health issues and needs to be treated as a hazardous material by professionals who are trained in proper removal techniques.
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