flooded house photo

Getting Started on your Cleanup after a Flood

After you have contacted your insurance agent and the waters have receded you are ready to begin your cleanup operation. In many cases you will have professionals to help you, but not always and you may still be expected to do some of the work yourself. At this stage you might also want to take plenty of photos of the damage in case you later need it for proof in an insurance claim; the insurer will have their own photographer but it makes sense that you should have your own too.

Directions for a Flood Clean Up
The exact directions you will need to follow with a flood cleanup will depend on the extent of your flood but here are some common tips.

- Remove as much mud from your home as possible. The flood is likely to have left a lot of this behind and you want to get rid of as much of this nasty stuff as possible by shoveling it out of your home. This vile substance could contain anything so be careful and avoid allowing it to touch your skin.
- After you have removed as much mud as possible by shovel you can down use a hose to help you get rid of more of it. Some of the mud will have become hard so this will make it more manageable. You can use the spray to move the mud without having to touch it.
- Wash everything in your home that has been affected by the water with disinfectant. There will be many items which won’t be salvageable and you will need to get rid of these or risk mold. Items made of cloth or other such materials will probably be too damaged by water to be fit for anywhere other than a bin.
- Make sure you disinfect every surface that has been touched by the water.

Continuous seepage of water at the basement area and around the house can foster mold growth. Molds usually need a water source, so when there are wet spots or there is waste water in your basement, you are guaranteed to face mold problem. Molds are much more than a greenish stain or something that causes musty odor; they can pose serious health risks. Allergic reactions, skin problems, lung infection, toxic infection and even death are some of the worst things that can happen due to mold influx. To remove mold growth, make sure you clean the basement regularly and remove the water source. Also make sure you remove existing mold. You can take the help of professional mold removal experts to do the job for you. They will clean the basement properly and remove all wet molds so that they do not come back. So if you face such a problem, make sure that you get in touch with a local foundation specialist to stop the leaks and prevent mold growth.

Check the cracks: Water can seep in to your basement through the smallest of cracks or fissure in the walls or the foundation. The cracks are definitely going to grow bigger. Water expands while freezing; this means the cycle of freezing and thawing during the winter season can gradually result in those cracks getting wider and bigger. Over time, water can simply destroy the foundation, posing a grave risk to the condition of your home. The best thing you can do in this condition is going for foundation crack repair. This process involves totally filling any foundation cracks, forming a enduring watertight seal that keeps water and away and makes the foundation strong.. If it were not for foundation repair, the wet basement condition can only become worse.
To ensure that there is a good waterproof foundation, you have to make sure that things are taken care of during the foundation laying process. Make sure that the concrete is evened and there are no extreme temperatures that can create cracks at the drying stage. Professionals should check the foundation over succeeding days, so that they are aware about the areas that need to be filled in. If procedures are adhered to properly and there are good weather conditions, filling in won’t be needed. Make sure that the foundation is completely dry especially if you have a basement home.

In old homes, waterproofing the basement implies having a sump pump work when rain levels attain a certain point. Basement homes and building that are at the bottom of hills have the greatest problems that are related to flooding. Even in case of electric sump pumps, rain that comes down heavily can pose problems.

The more common area affected by floods are the basement. A wet basement can cause allergic reactions from mold forming. Mold can also produce an unpleasant smell. If not treated it can be a serious health hazard and cause serious illness or even death. If you have a finished basement belongings can be contaminated with mold or fungus.  To help stop the formation of mold use strong chemicals such as bleach and water to clean infected area. Mold can form inside of walls and ceilings. For you best interest contact a water removal specialist to inspect walls and ceilings to determine mold or fungus is growing. When dealing with contaminated belongs always use caution and wear protected apparel such as rubber boots, gloves and a face mask as the least.

Contact your insurance company to file a claim of the water damage. Your insurance policy could cover the damages and help with repairs. If not, you may want to purchase flood insurance.  Check to see if you community participates in the National Flood Insurance Program. Make record of the damages for documentation with either photos or video.  Contacting a restoration company is a good idea as they can help removing the water and properly clean belongings.