Tips for Drying Out a Flooded Building

3/9/2022 (Permalink)

If you’re home has been flooded, call the professionals at SERVPRO to ensure everything that can be saved is saved.

Any building that has experienced flooding has to be dried out before it can be repaired. If you have any flooding, you should contact the professionals at SERVPRO of Osceola County, rather than attempting to make repairs yourself. Otherwise you can make mistakes that could permanently damage your home.

However, if you’re interested in how the drying process takes place or would like to know some of the steps taken in drying out a flooded building, here are some tips.

Natural Ventilation

Natural ventilation or evaporation is much better for drying out buildings than heated forced-air or an air conditioning system. This is especially the case for historic buildings. Rapid drying can cause irreparable harm to the significant features of these structures.

Turn Off Power

Before any drying occurs, it’s important to turn off the power. Always assume all power lines are live. Even if the power appears to be off around the neighborhood, you should turn off the power in your building.

Health

Make sure to check for any odor that may be detectable from liquefied petroleum or natural gases and turn off those services. If the water damage is due to flood water rather than rainwater, it may be contaminated with sewage or animal waste and could present a health hazard.

Cleaning Up

Before you begin cleaning up, take photographic evidence of the damage. This will help when you’re negotiating with the insurance adjuster. When cleaning up, make sure to protect your eyes, mouth, and hands. Also use disinfectants to wash your hands before you eat. If you feel uncomfortable entering the house, don’t do so.

How Water Saturation Affects a Building

There are three ways that water saturation can affect a building. The first is that the water directly causes damage to the building’s materials. This includes wallboard disintegration, wood swelling, warping, and rot. Electrical parts also have the ability to short out or malfunction, which can cause a fire. The second effect is that mud, silt, or other contaminants can get into the water and can- contaminate everything making the water unhealthy. This is more of a problem with floodwater than rainwater. The third effect is that the dampness caused by the flooding can cause the growth of moisture-related mold, mildew, and fungus, which can lead to dry rot.

Drying Should Start in the Attic

Whether you’re attempting natural drying or controlled drying, it should start in the attic. If the insulation gets wet, it should be removed and disposed of properly. After it gets wet, most insulation becomes ineffective. However, it can still hold moisture for a long period of time and will create high moisture conditions that can damage metal, masonry, or wood.

Any items in the attic that have been soaked by water should be removed for treatment. The weight of water soaked boxes can cause the plaster ceilings to crack onto the floor below. You should open all windows and vents to allow fresh air to circulate around the attic and building. If you determine that the electrical system is fine and you have an attic fan, you should turn that on as well.

Inspect Ceilings

Before you enter any rooms in the building, you should inspect the ceiling of that room first. Wet plaster and wet sheetrock are very heavy and could potentially fall through to the floor below. Any bulging in the ceiling could be holding trapped water and it will find a route to the floor below. Poking holes at the edge of the bulges will allow water to slowly release so you can catch it in buckets.

Plaster Dries Better

Plaster dries out much better than sheetrock. However, its durability depends on its plaster mix, the original application, the degree of water saturation, its placement, and the type of lath used. Plaster that has been placed over metal lath is likely to need replacing. If it’s over wood lath, the lath may expand if it gets saturated and that could cause the plaster keys to break.

If the plaster has been saved by clean rainwater, it can most likely be saved. If sheetrock has been exposed to water for less than two hours or more, it will probably need to be repaired. If it’s been saturated by contaminated water, replacement will be required.

Wash Down Wood Features

Wood features such as trim, doors, mantels, or stairs should be washed down with fresh water to remove mud and silt. To clean off mold and mildew, you can use a weak solution of Clorox and water.

Don’t Pump Out Basements

If the basement has been flooded, it shouldn’t be pumped out. Draining the basement while the surrounding ground is saturated could cause uneven pressure on the basement walls and the floor and could result in cracking and eventual collapse.

The flooding of a building can cause significant damage but many things can be saved if it’s handled properly. These tips are a starting point for drying out a flooded building but if you’re home has been flooded, call the professionals at SERVPRO to ensure everything that can be saved is saved.