Flood Damage Guide: How Long Does Drying a Flooded House Take?
Anything from groundwater intrusion to a natural disaster can cause flood damage. After the initial shock settles down, many flood victims want to know how long they will need to wait before getting back to their everyday life.
Generally speaking, it takes anywhere from 12 to 72 hours to dry out a flooded house completely, depending on how severe the flood is. However, that timeline assumes that the homeowner follows all the appropriate steps needed to preserve their health and promptly address the damage. Without a proper course of action, flood victims could spend several weeks dealing with the fallout of flood damage.
What You Should Do Immediately After a Flood
As helpful as it would be, homeowners can’t solve all their flood damage problems the second they strike. However, there are practical steps anyone can take in the moments after a flood to make those issues more manageable when the time comes.
Protect Any Valuable Items
Many household possessions can suffer from water damage in the immediate aftermath of a flood, not just the house itself. For example, most furniture can stain, warp, or become unusable if exposed to water for even a few minutes. That is why it is essential to move those items to a dry location as soon as possible.
Toss Out Affected Food Items
Floodwater from dishwashers, washing machines, lakes, or sewers has harmful bacteria that are dangerous when ingested. And, unfortunately, most household floods happen in the kitchen, where most of a home’s food is.
Homeowners should throw out any food item that has been in contact with potentially hazardous flood water.
Call a Flood Damage Specialist
Many people’s first reaction when they see an issue is to fix it themselves. So, when flood damage hits, some homeowners try to dry out the water themselves to avoid any labor costs.
However, attempting to repair extensive water damage without the proper tools and training will be ineffective. Flood damage behind walls is challenging to spot, impossible to remove without the right equipment, and can be harmful to human health without adequate treatment.
Why You Should Hire a Flood Restoration Professional
Flood damage is one of the most dangerous things a house can face. Excessive water buildup will weaken and break down wooden walls and flooring and create harmful mold that can trigger illness.
With consequences that severe, homeowners without water cleanup experience should not attempt any home remedies to clear the damage. Without treatment, water will permeate hard-to-reach areas and silently damage a building.
Professional flood restoration teams have the right tools and experience to dry excess water out of a flooded home. They can act quick enough to help prevent water from settling in and are experienced enough to spot any mold growth.
Flood Damage Repair From Austin Fire and Flood
Austin Fire and Flood is a premier flood damage restoration team in Texas. Their expert technicians have served clients throughout Austin, Round Rock and the surrounding areas restoring their homes back into a livable condition after severe water damage.
Call Austin Fire and Flood today at (512) 912-6814 to schedule an appointment.
