Dealing With a Water Loss Damage Problem in Chagrin Falls, OH

3/24/2017 (Permalink)

Around Chagrin Falls, OH and other Ohio communities close by such as Bainbridge and Chardon, the prospect of water damage and flood damage are not lost on the residents. The Chagrin River flowed vigorously in 2015 and caused flooding in the Chagrin Falls area to the point where residents had to scramble.

The Chagrin River has been rechanneled and dredged to the point that is has become unstable for surrounding towns when torrential rains come off of Lake Erie and into the Chagrin Falls, Chardon, and Bainbridge OH areas.

Many floods that occur don't necessarily sweep away the house or the business, but they leave enough water inside the structure that the occupants need to leave until things get cleaned up. The water damage and flood damage can leave standing water in a structure that is dangerous in several ways. First of all, if water is in a basement to any degree of depth, it might not be known if the water is covering an electrical outlet that could be "hot" and possibly electrocute anyone touching the water.

Standing water in home or water in business situations can carry all kinds of contaminants such as raw sewage, mold, bacteria, fertilizers, pesticides, and petroleum products. Just breathing the fumes from raw sewage can make many people ill.

In most cases, if there is lots of damage and standing water, most people will leave the premises until things get cleaned up. The optimal course of action is to have a professional hazmat team come in and mitigate all of the damage, clean things up, and rebuild the necessary portions of the structure that need repair. The water cleanup is the first stage of restoration after a flood.

The Steps of Restoring a Home or Business After a Flood

The first thing that must be done is to remove any standing water from withing a home. The most efficient way to do this is with high-speed pumps, if available. If not, as in some floods some equipment is not always available, siphoning with a hose will work, but it will just take longer. A floor squeegee is also useful for the last remnants of water which can be squeegeed out the door. Caution is advised to wear protective clothing, boots, gloves and a mask to protect against caustic contents of the water as well as mold and bacteria.

These are very good reasons not to touch any flood water at all if at all possible, or unless protective clothing is being worn. It is also a good reason for the homeowner or business owner not to attempt flood cleanup procedures on their own. When there are water in home or water in business situations, the proper course to take would be to let the hazmat experts do the job if at all possible.

Mold

Mold needs a moist place to grow that is dark and has no moving air. Ideal places for its growth are closets, attics, basements, crawl spaces and behind walls where it is dark. Mold grows from tiny, microscopic spores that float through the air and if they land in an ideal place, they grow.

Mold can grow very fast. Just a small patch the size of a thumbnail can grow to cover an entire wall in the matter of a few days.

The Rest of the Story
After the water cleanup, the area has to go through a drying process. This is best accomplished with a few large industrial fans which are used to create air movement over the affected area. This air movement process will cause the drying effect on the items in the room such as walls, floors, furniture and other items. This process can take a few days to a week.

The rest of the mitigation involves the throwing out of any soakable items such as overstuffed furniture such as couches and easy chairs, things like pillows, carpeting, padding, pictures, paper items, drapes and curtains, and other similar items. The bacteria and mold in these things are impossible to get rid of and would just cause huge contamination problems later.

The rest of the mitigation involves the throwing out of any soakable items such as overstuffed furniture such as couches and easy chairs, things like pillows, carpeting, padding, pictures, paper items, drapes and curtains, and other similar items. The bacteria and mold in these things are impossible to get rid of and would just cause huge contamination problems later.

Once everything that is contaminated is out of the building, time can be spent in cleaning and sterilizing the area as much as possible. Products such as a Clorox solution is best used as it is a germ killer. It will keep the bacteria from growing again later.

Once the area is clean, then the mitigation takes on a new direction as the area can be rebuilt, repainted and re-appointed. New flooring, carpeting, drywall, draperies, painting, and reconstruction can take place. In many instances, the area will be better than before because all items will be new or next to new.

Cost Assistance
Most areas in America do not have flood insurance available, although it is available through the Federal Government. Obviously, a flood where an entire house can be ruined can be a financially devastating situation. In the Ohio area near the Chagrin River, there has been formed a quasi-government coalition that has been put together to assist flood victims. The essence of the group is to provide financial help to flood victims and also the ability to repay costs of cleanup and repair over time.

People can apply for flood insurance through individual insurance agents, as it cannot be purchased directly through the Federal Government. Ask your insurance agent how to get it, and if he or she cannot sell it to you, you can ask around and find someone who can. If you live in a flood plain area, it would be wise to look into its purchase.

People can apply for flood insurance through individual insurance agents, as it cannot be purchased directly through the Federal Government. Ask your insurance agent how to get it, and if he or she cannot sell it to you, you can ask around and find someone who can. If you live in a flood plain area, it would be wise to look into its purchase.

For more information on Water Damage visit http://www.SERVPROgeaugacounty.com/