How Can I Mitigate Storm-Related Flood Damage?

5/29/2020 (Permalink)

When storms wreak havoc Marlborough, call SERVPRO we will be right there.

You Can Mitigate Storm-Related Flood Damage in Marlborough by Taking a Few Precautionary Steps and Calling a Good Remediation Service Provider Like SERVPRO.  

New England is famous for its strong coastal storms that wreak havoc on the region every year.  This severe weather, which can occur at any time of the year, impacts Marlborough and causes a great deal of damage in our local area.  While this common yearly weather is bad enough, sometimes a “perfect storm” passes through and brings with it massive flooding that deluges our small city.  Since our area is prone to this kind of weather, local home and business owners should always prepare for potential storms in advance.  When a disaster does strike, they need to contact a good flood damage remediation service, like SERVPRO, as soon as possible.

What Makes SERVPRO an Excellent Flood Damage Cleaning and Remediation Service? 

As a local resident, you should research Marlborough’s flood damage cleaning and remediation services before disaster strikes.  When examining the various companies handing this kind of damage, some really stand out.  Businesses like SERVPRO offer numerous fast and cost-effective home-saving services, including:                  

• Standing water removal, using truck-mounted extractors, portable extractors, and wet vacs
• Professional disposal of hazardous waste and water
• Expert disinfecting and cleaning of affected surfaces to hinder harmful fungi and bacteria growth
• Scientific drying of interiors with dehumidifiers, air movers, strong fans, injectidry systems, and high-tech detection equipment like moisture meters and sensors
• Odor removal with sprayers and foggers

Finding a good, reliable flood damage restoration company before storms hit makes it much easier to recover after they have passed.  Undoubtedly, doing this saves you time, money, and heartache in the long run.

What Precautionary Steps Can You Take to Secure Your Home Before a Storm?

As previously noted, a key way you can limit storm damage to your Marlborough residence is to adequately prepare your home beforehand.  This has been made easier in recent years by advancements in weather forecasting.  Forecasts often give homeowners a few days warning before big storms.  Once you become aware of a storm’s approach, these are some measures you can take to limit potential flood damage:

• Shut off electricity, gas, and water utility switches/valves before you leave your house prior to a storm.  This simple measure protects your property from further damage and others from gas explosions and electrical shocks.
• Repair and seal any foundation damage.  This repair work helps prevent floodwaters from entering the ground floor of your home.
• Ensure that your roof is in good condition, and your gutters are clean.  These measures help safeguard against leaks and related water damage.
• Properly cover your windows with storm shutters or plywood.  By doing so, powerful storm winds and airborne objects are less likely to break your windows and allow rainwater to enter your home.
• Divert flood waters away from your residence with strategically-placed sandbags.

In doing these things, homeowners might be able to largely avoid major flood damage.  However, nature is never a hundred percent predictable, and trying to defend against it is rarely completely effective. 

If Floodwaters Damage My Marlborough Home, What Can SERVPRO Do?

Our technicians in Marlborough are trained and experienced in mitigating and cleaning up catastrophic flood damage.  This is done with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-approved disinfectants, high-quality deodorants, and the most advanced equipment available in the industry.  The process our professionals generally take to return your home to pre-flood condition is as follows:

• Arrival at your home, in most cases, within four hours of your call
• Removal of standing floodwaters with submersible pumps and extractors
• Clean up and disposal of hazardous flood wastes
• Disinfection of affected surfaces with EPA-approved disinfectants
• Drying the interior of your home with dehumidifiers, air movers, and connected injectidry systems
• Periodically measuring moisture levels in the air and interior materials with thermohygrometers and moisture meters/sensors  
• Ensuring that they have effectively completed all interior drying by reaching a pre-established drying goal
• Deodorization/odor sealing with high-quality deodorants or paint

Usually, once this process is complete, our customers are pleasantly surprised by the results.  Our technicians are often able to save your home and limit overall flood-related damage.  Also, their efforts help safeguard your house from future issues, like harmful microbial growth, dry rot, and bad odors.  At the same time, SERVPRO can often save you time and money.

Although you live in an area prone to powerful storms and flood-related damage, you don’t have to live in fear of these things.  There are actions you can take to protect yourself and recover from these problems if you are ever unfortunate enough to encounter them.  Properly prepare your home before every major storm to limit effects from them.  Then, if you do need help recovering from a flood, call SERVPRO of Marlboro / Concord at (978) 486-9868 for assistance.  

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