Steps to Restoring Your Lake Charles Property After Flood Damage

12/22/2020 (Permalink)

We will walk you through every step for your Lake Charles flood damage.

Flash flooding is common in urban areas, and it usually occurs after heavy rain. In Lake Charles, about 490 addresses are situated in FEMA’s 100-year floodplain. This means that there is a one percent chance of flooding taking place in the properties built in the floodplain in any given year.

Flooding creates a frustrating situation for property owners. Fortunately, by taking the right steps, it is not hard to restore your Lake Charles property after flood damage. If it is safe to enter your home, you can start the flood cleanup process by doing the following things: 

• Wear protective attire like watertight boots, rubber gloves, and safety glasses or goggles.
• Discard porous materials such as foam rubber and padded furniture.
• Throw out exposed food, medicine, and drinks.
• Document the damage by taking photos or videos.
• Wipe down wooden items.
• Clean hard surfaces with a solution of hot water and soap.

Cleaning up and drying a flood-damaged property is challenging. You may need special tools like air movers and dehumidifiers to dry the affected surfaces. Some parts of your home may also need to be rebuilt, or soaked materials like carpeting and drywall may need to be removed, discarded and replaced. The other items you may need to replace include drapery, clothing, and ductwork. Therefore, it is advisable to hire a flood damage restoration company like SERVPRO to assist you with the remediation process.

When we get to your residence, we can conduct a detailed inspection using devices like moisture meters, infrared cameras, and moisture sensors. These devices enable us to track moisture within a building. After assessing the destruction, we can come up with the appropriate restoration plan. Floodwater can bring all kinds of solids in your property. We can use a self-priming trash pump to extract the water mixed with solids. We can also use power washers to remove muck or mud on the exterior parts of your home.

After extracting the water, your walls and floors may look dry, but they are still wet. Porous building materials can hold moisture that can make them swell or warp. Our SERVPRO technicians can manipulate temperature and humidity using dehumidifiers and air movers so that drying occurs much faster.

Cleaning floors, walls, and other affected surfaces is also essential. During a flood, sewer lines can leak wastes that may end up in your property, threatening your health. Our team can clean your home using disinfectants that destroy 99 percent of microorganisms.

When you need flood cleanup services in Southwest Louisiana, call SERVPRO of Lake Charles for help. Our 24-hour emergency helpline is (337) 478-1133. We can make the loss appear “Like it never even happened.”

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