If a home becomes flooded or wet during or after a storm, you will need to take steps to dry it out and restore it. Many people hire professional companies to do this, but in cases where the damage is less severe, you may be able to do a lot of the work yourself. Regardless of how, exactly, you approach the cleanup, make sure you do not skip these steps.

Sanitize everything.

Where there is moisture, there will be mold. This is basically a rule. If a part of your home has been wet or a while, you should assume that there is mold in the area. You can't always see mold growth in its beginning stages. The good news is that you can easily kill mold using a bleach and water mixture. A splash of bleach in a bucket of water is sufficient. Wipe down all surfaces that are or were wet with this mixture.

Change the air filter.

If your HVAC system has been running at all, you can bet that there are mold spores in the ducts. The air filter should catch them, but you have to change the air filter to get them out of there. It's a good idea to change the air filter a few times. Change it once before you start cleaning up the home, then again partway through the cleanup after you've presumably kicked up some mold spores. Change it another time once the cleanup is over.

Throw away all opened food.

If there is any food in packages that are not entirely sealed, throw it away. You cannot reliably tell whether it has been exposed to unsanitary water or mold. If you do have food in glass or otherwise secure packages, sanitize those packages before opening them to use any of the food.

Run a dehumidifier.

Even if the space looks dry, there is likely still a lot of moisture in the air. If you do not dry out the air, mold will soon grow back where you have cleaned it up. So, it is always important to run a dehumidifier when cleaning up a previously flooded home. A whole-home dehumidifier is best, but a few portable ones will work in a pinch. 

Water damage cleanup can be demanding, and it has to be done properly. Never hesitate to contact a residential disaster restoration service if you need any help with this matter.

Share