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If your home had the unfortunate experience of being damage by flood water, it is important to understand the ways that flood water will have affected and damaged the different materials in your home.

HVAC System

If water gets into your HVAC system, you need to be really careful. Inside of your HVAC system are numerous electrical components as well as internal pilot lights. Before turning your HVAC system back on, you are going to want to have your HVAC system professionally inspected.

Mud may need to be cleaned out of your HVAC unit, and some of the electrical component and pilot lights may need to be replaced.

If water got into the venting system, it may need to be taken apart and cleaned to ensure that it is not contaminated.

Appliances

Water can easily get into the internal components of your appliances. Extreme caution should be taken with appliance. They should be cleaned and inspected by a professional to ensure that none of the internal electrical components were damaged and to make sure that no gas is leaking if your appliances rely on gas.

Floor Covering

With your floors, it is not just about what you can see, it is about what you can't see as well. Vinyl floors, as well as carpet, usually have foam backings that you may not be able to see. These foam backings could be waterlogged even if your vinyl or carpet looks okay.

In general, after a flood, you are going to want to get rid of vinyl and carpet flooring, as well as the backing behind it.

If you have one off rugs and carpets that are expensive, have a professional clean them and try to save them. If they do not cost that much, it can be better to throw out dirty and contaminated rugs.

Drywall

Drywall is very porous, which means that it will absorb water. This can make your drywall really fragile even after the water recedes. Your drywall may dry out, but that doesn't make it clean. Your drywall may be contaminated with feces and other bacterial and matter that was in the flood water, and will more than likely need to be replaced.

Plaster

Plaster is thicker than drywall and is not nearly as porous, so it can withstand flood water better. As long as your plastic is not craped or warped, it should be able to dry out properly and will not need to be replaced. If the plaster was more than water damaged, you will need to replace it.

Flood water can impact your home in a variety of different ways. In some instances, you need to remove items from your home and other times you will be able to save. Don't try to save something that could be infested with mold; it is costlier to save that item then it will be to replace it. To learn more about the art and science of home restoration, contact Puroclean Certified Restoration Specialist.