TIPS ON EXTRACTING WATER AFTER A FLOOD

Drying and cleansing your home after a floor or fire (with subsequent water hosing) is no easy task.

You may have to replace ceiling tile, drywall or electrical equipment. You may even have to totally discard soaked furniture.

Furthermore, you must extract all the floodwaters from your home before you can even begin to clean up.

However, this does not only apply to floods. Sometimes leaks from ceilings, as well as broken sewer lines, can cause a major contaminated water spill. What is the best way to go about extracting water so that your home will be dry and ready to clean? Here are a few important tips.

Safety Comes First

First, always wear rubber gloves and shoes. When dealing with soaked and possibly contaminated areas remember that your regular clothes and your skin are not safe. Even regular floodwater has been exposed to sewer and septic systems.

After working, wash your hands carefully. Be careful to walk with caution and avoid tracking water in from flooded parts of your home to other dry areas.



The Best Ways To Extract

Some houses or buildings might have a floor drain plug, which would make extracting water much easier. However, most don't, therefore other methods are necessary in extracting. When cleaning a flooded area, make use of buckets, pumps, and wet and dry vacuum cleaners to do most of the work.

You may also need a mop or something else to blot areas dry, as you get rid of more and more water. Sandbags are also useful in drying up large spills. After getting rid of the water, it is best to dry the area and any remaining furnishings or items with some kind of heat source or a dehumidifier.

Extracting Water From Carpets

When extracting water from carpets, keep in mind these reminders. If the carpet is thoroughly soaked with sewage water or floodwater, it's best to let it go. Even when disposing of a carpet that has been exposed to contaminated water, it should be done with caution.



It is possible that if just a few areas of the carpet have been soiled (that could result from a ceiling leak) it can be saved. First, extract the wet surface area so that you can lift up the carpet and remove the wet padding on the bottom. While you can keep the carpet itself, it is a good idea to replace the padding underneath if it is wet.

Finally, you have the choice whether to clean up the water damage yourself or to hire a professional cleaning service. Whatever you decide, go at it with caution. Only hire professional and experienced workers; and if you decide to clean things up on your own, remember to wash up after handling water-damaged items. These tips can help you get things dry and recover from a water disaster.