Emergency House Cleaning: Water Loss Cleanup
Talking about emergency house cleaning, here’s a “special” type we hope you never need – the one called water loss cleanup or flood cleanup. With all the recent news of hurricanes and flood waters invading homes around the country, I wanted to share some resources for folks suffering water losses, whether a big or small cleanup is needed.
This article from Consumer Reports appeared in my inbox around the time that hurricane Hermine passed along the East Coast. Now of course, Matthew has hit our region much closer to home and brought misery and long-term clean-up issues with it. This article addresses the disasters that follow major flooding: http://www.consumerreports.org/lawn-garden/how-to-salvage-valuables-after-flooding/.
Dangers of Mold from Water Losses
Due to the negative impact of mold, we recommend that you think of any water loss like a ‘slow fire’. Time is of the essence and the sooner you can dry materials, the more you can salvage. Just be aware of the existence of very real health hazards when working around water that is contaminated by chemicals or sewage. Other hazards, such as wet electrical wiring and other dangers (like slippery mud on stairs and floors, snakes, insects, small animals, etc.) should also be considered. As one of the articles below suggests, a sturdy wooden stick can be your friend in approaching a number of these bad boys.
For serious flood recovery, the Red Cross article cited in the same Consumer Reports (click here for the link:) http://www.redcross.org/images/MEDIA_CustomProductCatalog/m4540081_repairingFloodedHome.pdf gives some strong advice with good detail and helpful illustrations.
A Quick 2-Page Summary from the Feds
For a simple summary with lots of additional resources, this printable FEMA fact sheet may be helpful: http://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/1452008937293-2c5cf070cabce562b9ae8727abbdc7e9/Flood_FIMA_Fact_Sheet_2015_508.pdf
We hope you never need this information, but want you to be forewarned and well-prepared if ever you should need it. There are a number of reputable water loss specialists in our area.
We can handle the smallest (e.g. a leaking dishwasher, washing machine hose or an HVAC condensation tube gone astray) or you can call us for suggestions of others if you don’t know where to start. Town & Country Cleaning Services – defining cleaning excellence since 1991: (919) 967-7592.