How To Clean up After a Flood

Call Cleanup & Total Restoration Today for Expert Flood Water Removal

You’ve just experienced a flood, now what? 

At Cleanup & Total Restoration (CTR), we understand what you’re going through and are here to help restore your property to get your life back on track as quickly as possible. In this blog, we will discuss the proper steps and techniques of how to prepare and clean up after a flood, while also highlighting the importance of professional flood removal services.

Flood Water Do’s and Don’ts

You may not know what to do directly after a flood, especially if you live in an area where floods don’t typically happen. When you’re faced with the aftermath of a flood, here are some do’s and don’ts: 

The Do’s

• Treat flood water as potentially contaminated. 
• Minimize exposure by wearing protective gear such as waterproof boots and gloves.
• Disinfect all surfaces thoroughly once the floodwaters have receded.
• Protect any cuts or wounds on your skin and cleanse them promptly after contact with flood water. 

The Don’ts

• Avoid consuming any food that has been in contact with flood water, including canned food.
• Do not touch flood water unless absolutely necessary. If contact is unavoidable, ensure thorough handwashing with soap and water afterward.
• Keep children, seniors, and pets away from flood water to prevent potential health risks.

How To Prepare for a Flood Event

Determine Your Flood Risk

The first step in flood preparedness is understanding your risk. Check whether you reside in a floodplain or an area prone to flooding. Most localities offer elevation maps provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), found on your local government website. When you access these maps, they will help you identify low-lying areas or flood plains within your county.

Check Flood Advisories & Warnings in Your Area

If there are storms in the forecast, you can Prepare for potential flood events by checking your local flood advisories and warnings. A flood advisory is like a preliminary message indicating the potential for heavy rainfall. If your area issues a flood advisory, you need to keep your phone or television dialed into your local news outlet for weather updates. A flood warning, on the other hand, is the most urgent and critical message you can receive letting you know that a flood is on the rise. If your area has been issued a flash flood warning, move to higher ground immediately. Learn more about flood advisories versus flood watches here. 

Secure Flood Insurance

Standard homeowners insurance policies don’t include coverage for flood damage. So, if you live in a flood-prone region, make sure you get additional flood insurance coverage.

Install a Sump Pump

You can prepare and mitigate flood damage in your home or businesses with sump pumps. They’re typically installed at the lowest point of a home and help divert groundwater away from the foundation. Having a sump pump installed can significantly reduce the impact of flooding within your home.

Keep Sandbags Nearby

When preparing for a flood, make sure you have sandbags readily available. Placing sandbags strategically around the foundation of your home can help prevent basement flooding by diverting water away. Acting as a barrier, sandbags redirect water from your home’s foundation, particularly effective during instances of low-level flooding or flash flood warnings in your area.

The Steps for Cleaning up After a Flood

Here are some steps that you can do yourself, or call Cleanup & Total Restoration where we will help you with every step along the way. 

Step One: Assess Damage and Stop the Source

The first step in cleaning up after a flood is to assess the damages and if possible, stop the water source that’s causing the flood. For example, if a pipe burst is the reason why you have flooding, stop the water source by turning off your home’s main water source. 

Step Two: Contact Your Insurance Company

After stopping the source of water and further damages, immediately inform your insurance provider that your home has flooded. Your insurer will initiate the claims process and likely recommend service providers to start the drying process. If the flooding is a result of a natural disaster, be prepared for long wait times as there may be a high volume of insurance claims. 

Step Three: Remove Flood Water

Once you’ve informed your insurance company, it’s time to start removing the flood water. If the water level exceeds a few centimeters, consider using a wet vac. For smaller amounts of water, towels, and cloths can suffice for absorption.

Step Four: Drying the Flooded Areas

Utilize your air conditioner, fans, and a dehumidifier to expedite water evaporation. If it’s extremely humid outside or there is a lot of water damage, a commercially rated portable dehumidifier can be used to speed up the drying process. If you don’t have one on deck, rest assured that CTR has all the professional-grade equipment your flooded area needs. 

Step Five: Flood Water Clean Up

After a flood, initiating the cleaning process may feel overwhelming. Start by using a mixture of disinfectant soap and water to clean floors, walls, and closets (avoid mixing disinfectants or bleach to prevent hazardous reactions). Make sure you clean surfaces thoroughly with general-purpose cleaners before applying disinfectant to ensure you get rid of all germs effectively. 

How Long Does It Take To Dry out a Flood?

Dealing with the aftermath of a flooded home or building can be incredibly frustrating. Once you’ve tackled the initial cleanup, it’s essential to properly dry the affected areas to prevent mold and other harmful fungi that thrive in damp environments. At Cleanup & Total Restoration, we can help ensure your property is thoroughly dried with industry-leading products and equipment. Here are some ways we dry out flood water: 

Air Drying

Air drying is suitable for small-scale floods where the water hasn’t penetrated deeply into materials and humidity levels are low. However, it’s not practical in high-humidity environments and tends to be the slowest method of drying.

Forced Air/Fans

Utilizing built-in forced air systems or bringing in fans to enhance air circulation can expedite the drying process, particularly in larger areas.  

Dehumidifiers

Commercial-grade portable dehumidifiers are among the most efficient tools for drying out flooded spaces quickly and effectively. By extracting moisture from the air and surrounding materials, they provide optimal conditions for thorough drying.

While flooding poses significant inconvenience, it doesn’t have to be a prolonged issue. The duration of the drying process can vary widely, ranging from twelve hours to several weeks, depending on factors such as the extent of the flood and the drying method.

Why Choose Cleanup & Total Restoration

If you live in Southwest Idaho and just went through a flood, get professional cleanup services with Cleanup & Total Restoration. Whether it’s a single room or an entire home or business, our team of experts delivers the best flood water removal services around. 

• 60-Minute Response Time
• 100% Financing Available 
• Free No-Obligation Estimate
• Licensed and Experienced Technicians
• 24-Hour Emergency Services
• Insurance Claims Assistance

If you need emergency services, call our 24/7 emergency response hotline at (208) 268-6293.