How Do I Recover After Tropical Flooding Invades My Brandon Home?

4/19/2020 (Permalink)

We are here for you 24/7, so if you need our help, call us at (813) 741-3473 today.

Have SERVPRO Storm Damage Specialists Return Your Brandon Condo to its Pre-Flood Condition

No type of flooding is pleasant, but as the result of a hurricane, it can also be accompanied by high winds. Combined, these two can tear apart and soak the interior of your home in a very short amount of time from the foundation to the roof.

How is Tropical Floodwater any different from other floodwaters?
Tropical flooding in your Brandon condo came from the outside. That means it contains soil and other contaminants picked up by the storm. The groundwater may also have a high concentration of saltwater, which greatly adds to the potential damages. These contaminants are not present with flooding from a broken pipe or failed appliance in your condo.

Quick removal of water is always important, but SERVPRO understands that this storm flooding leaves much of the contamination on the walls, floors, and other property inside the home. That means additional damage to include the risk of mold spreading through your home or rental property.

So how are you going to return my condo to its condition before the flooding?
Our first steps to restoring your condo are water removal and structural protection. Several team specialists begin working in the residence immediately after arriving on-site to draw out any standing water. This action reduces the level of flood damage and prevents damage to property not directly affected by the flood. Depending on the size of your condo, we can usually draw out the water completely in several days using specific tools:

    •    Commercial-grade pumps to remove floodwater about an inch or deeper in the condo
    •    Extraction wands to remove floodwater less than an inch. Our response teams also use these to draw water out of carpets and from between floorboards

As this happens, other team members work to secure the home against further damage. Structural protection includes the following:

    •    Boarding up damaged doors and windows to reduce the possibility of trespassing and vandalism
    •    Covering damage to the roof and eaves to reduce and prevent further damage from both storms and animal intrusions
    •    Isolating and sealing cracks in the foundation to prevent water from entering the residence
    •    Spraying or wiping down surfaces touched by the floodwater with an anti-bacterial agent that not only cleans them but also greatly reduces the health and mold threat

Does all of the Water Damage have to be Replaced?
No, many items can be dried and restored. Each of our teams has Water Damage Restoration Technicians (WRTs) to take specialized actions to dry personal and structural property:

    •    They use fans and air movers together to draw out moisture from the interior of the condo so that drywall panels can be cleaned and left in place
    •    WRTs also use the same devices to dry wood surfaces on dining room sets and other furniture. The careful application helps eliminate water spots and prevents lacquer and other veneers from running or streaking
    •    For clothing, they use anti-bacterial detergents and commercial-grade washing machines in our inventory to clean and disinfect items soaked by the floodwater

Carpets, however, always require replacement. We cannot 100% guarantee that it is safe to use again, even after replacing the carpet pad and shampooing it with the strongest cleaner in our inventory.

What about the Condo wall framing and other support structure? Can it be saved?
Yes, we also have Applied Structural Drying Technicians (ADTs), who are trained to preserve the residence. They use devices from our equipment inventory to draw out water before it can rot or otherwise damage framing and more:

    •    Box fans to increase air circulation throughout the condo, sending damp air outside
    •    Air movers to direct warm air across surfaces to carefully dry them without causing splitting, cracking, or other damage
    •    Desiccants to draw moisture out of wall framing and other structural supports. Desiccants are particularly useful to keep moisture down to a safe level in laundry rooms and the sub-floor year-round.

Can you help me with my insurance company?
Yes, we can provide much of the information you need. SERVPRO has extensive experience with each major agency here in Florida, and we carefully follow their recommendations to help ensure you receive the most out of your policy. Our team leaders keep a detailed log on all of our actions and a list of what we restore or replace for their review. The CCIS Contents Claim Inventory System greatly assists our customers with their insurance claims.

At SERVPRO of Brandon / North Riverview, we understand the need to return every residence to a dry, clean, and safe condition. As a locally-owned operation, many of our customers are also our neighbors, and we try to treat each one like they just down the street. We are here for you 24/7, so if you need our help, call us at (813) 741-3473 today.

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