Everything But The Weed

Approved by:
Linda Maze, a Wedding photography Gainesville FL in Gainesville Florida

One of the most common areas affected after a water incident such as flood is the basement. Cleaning up a flooded basement is never easy, and it might take a good amount of time and affect your finances . Even worse, flooding in the basement exposes you and your family to the risk of disease caused by mold and mildew. Although it could be costly , it might make more sense to seek professional help in cleaning up your basement.

The first thing you need to do once your basement has been flooded is to assess the extent of damage. While you can do this yourself, you need to contact your insurance agent as a matter of urgency to help you in evaluating the extent of the damage and also the extent of the claim you could make with your insurance company. At this point too, it is important to contact a water damage restoration company who will be able to tell you what can be restored and what cannot. A water damage restoration expert offers the kind of definitive report that your insurer will not be able to argue with .

Apart from damaging the structure and the property in it, a flooded basement carries the additional risk of exposing the residents of the home to illness since mold easily and quickly develops if the water is not removed with urgency . Items such as books, newspapers, stuffed animals and cardboard boxes easily absorb the water and these could be destroyed beyond repair. You might have to discard some of those things. Rugs might be salvaged, but you must observe care not to expose your family to the risk of illness by bringing back to the house items that have not been properly cleaned. Where the items have come into contact with sewage water, professional help will be necessary.

Once all the water has been removed , the floors and walls must be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. A professional cleaner will be able to advise on the disinfectants or bleaches to use. Should you undertake the task of disinfecting, make sure that the basement is properly aired to avoid inhaling harmful chemicals. Things should not be returned to the basement until the air in the basement has been confirmed to be completely dry.