Repairing Your Home After a Flood

Many people don't understand the damage water can do to a home. I've heard remarks like "Well, it's only water. At least it wasn't a fire or a hurricane." Okay, they've never been through a flood. So I've got four walls still standing and a roof over my head. I'm also standing in a foot of the nastiest, you-don't-even-want-to-think-a bout-what's-in'it, mud you've ever seen. A flood does damage that people don't even realize until later.

After the flood waters have receded from your living room, leaving behind the mud and God's knows what, you have your last "feel sorry for me" cry, then roll up your sleeves and get to work. And it is work. Anyone who has ever been through a flood knows that it is every bit as devastating as any other disaster. Many areas will be without water and electricity for days following a major flood. And then you have the danger of diseases and bacteria carried in the flood water. So although you may still have those four walls standing, they may be so warped and contaminated with dangerous bacteria, that you almost wish a fire had happened. But it didn't. You're lucky, remember? All you have to deal with is wood buckling and warping as it tries to dry out, and nasty little things like mold. But it can be dealt with.

The first step after a flooding is to get the water out as quickly as possible. The longer it sits in a house, the more damage it does. Use pumps to get it out fast. Keep dehumidifiers running and remove all carpets as soon as possible. Wash walls and floors down with a mixture of bleach and water. Run fans and open windows to get the walls and floors dried as soon as you can. And whatever you do, don't lose heart. After all, you're lucky, it wasn't a fire or hurricane.