Does Flooding Always Need to Be Addressed Immediately?

10/30/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO can waterproof basements and encapsulate crawlspaces to protect against flood damage in Anacortes homes.

Flooding does not always destroy an Anacortes home, but it should get dealt with as soon as possible by competent professionals.

Flooding is always a situation that can potentially cost Anacortes homeowners a substantial amount of money and time in restoration when the situation gets mismanaged. Natural remedies for flood removal and drying are not thorough. The process needs to be more direct. As a leading flood restoration company in Skagit County, we have multiple strategies for determining water migration throughout the property and the most efficient approaches for removing floodwater and preparing the house for the drying and cleaning stages to follow.

Flood damage in Anacortes homes might not always be as recognizable and alarming as other property owners experience. With that thought in mind, it is tempting to consider allowing nature to resolve the situation instead of putting the money into professional restoration services. Unfortunately, you cannot always account for the speed or reliability of natural drying, and there are many areas of your house that flooding could impact without clear initial signs, including:

• Crawlspaces
• Attics
• Basements

How Does Crawlspace Flooding Get Resolved?

Often, homeowners are left with the impression that flooding happening away from the house's literal living space is manageable without professional intervention and experience. The crawlspace is primarily designed to keep the bulk of the property raised and protected from floodwater threats that could impact structural elements like supports, joists, and subflooring of the main level of your house. The development of microbial hazards in this area or the excessive moisture and saturation of structural elements like supports for your home present direct risks to the occupants in the main living space. Some of the ways to manage water removal, drying, and fungal threats include: 

• High-Pressure Pumps
• Wet Vacuums
• Dehumidification
• Air Movers
• Crawlspace Encapsulation

Encapsulation is one of the services that prevent moisture from becoming a recurring threat in the crawlspace. By covering exposed surfaces in plastic and installing water diversion and removal tools, homes can stay protected from the possibility of flooding.

What Makes Attic Flooding Difficult To Track?

Attic flooding often occurs in many ways, ranging from the slow deterioration of these building materials to allow water penetration to the more abrupt and unexpected structural compromise that can come from high winds, torrential rains, or even heavy snowfall. Despite how much water these vulnerabilities in the roof can allow into your home, you still might not immediately recognize a problem. You should remain diligent, especially during and shortly after powerful storm systems pass through the area, to inspect for:

• Damp Ceiling Materials
• Sagging Drywall
• Bloating/Swelling
• Visible Water Stains
• Leaking

Because many homeowners have not finished their attic space and converted it into more livable square footage for the property, you might not inspect this area of the house as often as you should. If you encounter any of these indicating signals, you should notify our SERVPRO team as soon as possible.

Does Basement Flooding Impact the Rest of the House?

One o the concerns with basement flooding is how many different ways that these situations can develop. Neglected and mismanaged water heaters in the basement level can malfunction and flood the area, but among the most common threats are drainage backups into this subterranean level and groundwater forcing its way through below-grade blockwork used as wall systems for the basement. When you do not recognize these situations right away, the most immediate concerns are the elevation of relative humidity throughout adjacent areas of the structure. Increased moisture content becomes a catalyst for the development and spread of mold colonies.

How Can Our Fast Response Help?

Because we can anticipate poor weather conditions that can result in natural flooding and structural damages for your home, we can mobilize quickly in these circumstances. When you discover water penetration into any part of your home, professionals must arrive promptly to begin mitigating these losses through repairs to the structure, extraction of standing water, and removing any threatened contents that might be in the way. Because we have more experience in flood restoration than homeowners, we can begin with the most pressing concerns that threaten your property.

As you can see, it is critical for you to act as soon as you suspect that flooding might occur. While it might not always be a forceful and direct loss incident, unaddressed flooding can create even more challenging circumstances like widespread mold and microbial growth. We have Water Restoration Technicians (WRT) on our SERVPRO of Skagit County roster ready to respond when you call (360) 873-8744.