Flood Cuts Expedite the Recovery Process

9/10/2019 (Permalink)

Flood cuts in a Northwest Hills, TX home

Flood Cuts Expedite the Recovery Process

Floods happen. They are ruthless, unrelenting and can destroy everything they touch. Saving your home after a flooding event requires you to be equally ruthless. You may try to convince yourself that:

It’s not that bad.
Everything will dry.
Recovery is a simple matter of new carpets, paint and wallpaper,

Unfortunately, time is working against you. You already have an early-stage mold problem. If it becomes visible, the real problems begin.

Flood Recovery Begins at the High-Water Mark

This mark on the indoor walls of your home is the starting point for your restoration efforts. When the mark is on wallboard, you can assume that the damage extends above this mark and behind the wall. Flood cuts are a simple and effective way to deal with this wallboard damage.

Flood Cuts Speed Up Drying and Save Money

These cuts remove wet and conserve undamaged wallboard. It keeps the repair costs low. A horizontal, straight and clean flood cut simplifies late-stage wallboard repairs. The flood cut is the first of a three-step recovery process.

Mark a horizontal line one foot above the high-water mark and cut along that line. Tear out and dispose of all wallboard below the cut. If the damage extends above the line, draw a higher line and cut again. Continue until the damaged wallboard removal is complete.
Remove and dispose of all the wet insulation behind the wall. Leave the space open until it is dry and it is time to install new wallboard.
Deploy fans and other drying equipment to dry studs and other structural components. Also, evaluate other features behind the wallboard. They may include electrical, plumbing and HVAC equipment. Finally, be aware that contamination is frequently an issue with flooding. Sewage, pesticides and other chemicals are common in floodwater. Cleaning and disinfecting may be required.

There are flood recovery specialists ready to respond in the Northwest Hills, TX, area. They have the equipment, training and experience to deal with your flooding problem quickly and thoroughly. It all begins with a simple phone call.