What Kinds of Storm Events Inflict the Consequence of Flooding in My Falmouth Home?

6/8/2020 (Permalink)

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Falmouth Flood Damage Can Have Many Storm-Related Causes -- SERVPRO Prepares to Help for Any Scenario

As the severe storm season starts to ramp up in the Atlantic, you are wise to consider how to ready yourself for the many different ways you might experience its impact. Regardless of how the floodwaters invade your Falmouth spaces, the overall goals are the same:

    •    Get the water out fast
    •    Dispose of it lawfully
    •    Clean away debris and residues
    •    Disinfect
    •    Dry affected materials

How Can a Restoration Company Help with Safety and Security?

Homeowners who have never used our services might be surprised at the emphasis we place on safety assessment and securing your dwelling. Falmouth flood damage from storm activity can include significant exterior breaches, roofs, windows, and siding taking hits from wind and debris, and exposing your home to the elements. Our well-trained and equipped crews board and tarp up holes while managers assess the interior for safety hazards like a slip, trip, and fall; electrical shock; and the imminent collapse of walls and ceilings where building cavities are full of rainwater.

Is There the Possibility of Saltwater Flooding My Home?

Our community's location with Buzzards Bay to the north and Vineyard and Nantucket Sounds to the west and south put homes at risk of storm surge mixing in with the torrents of rain. Saltwater flooding complicates remediation somewhat, with freshwater flushing possibly a recommendation before water removal completes. Saltwater is a contaminant, exposing metals to heightened oxidation risk, concrete to slow but steady deterioration, and wood structures to delignification. Extra care needs to be taken when saltwater and electrical currents cross paths, as the salt increases conductivity.

Am I Responsible for Proper Disposal of Contaminated Flood Waters?

Flooding issues are already complicated, and then issues surrounding the hazardous substances mixed or dissolved in the floodwaters arise. SERVPRO is familiar with local rules and regulations about the lawful and safe disposal of contaminated waters flooding inside your home. Chemicals, insects, animals, sewage, and industrial waste are among the potentially dangerous substances contained in overland and flash flood water. We contain the dirty water and take all steps necessary to discard it as hazardous waste. Rely on our experience and vigilance in remaining current with current rules. We obtain needed permits and document how we managed the water.

How Do I Get to Water that Migrates into Building Cavities?

When large amounts of water invade your home, it is a dynamic force, seeping through cracks and crevices. Spaces in cinder blocks, between walls, under floors and cabinets, and more can hide standing water and deflect your attention from moisture absorbed into structures. Our technicians use moisture detectors and meters and thermal imaging cameras to seek out and locate trapped water. If needed, our crews use controlled demolition to release water and gain access for drying efforts. Flood cuts, which take out several inches of a wall from the floor to above the waterline, and drilled holes under baseboards and in mortar joints, create ways to drain and dry wet recesses.

Is Gutter and Downspout Maintenance Worth the Hype?

Consider the dramatic scenarios with which our coastal community copes during "training" rainstorms and intense timeframes like a hurricane and Nor'easter seasons. Is it worthwhile to spend any time worrying about the drainage system for your roof when these events appear cataclysmic? Periodic reminders in the media, and maybe from family, neighbors, and friends, push the idea that gutters and downspouts are crucial in the fight to keep water from flooding your home. Are you convinced?

What Do Gutters and Downspouts Do?

Even in ordinary rainstorms, a dependable drainage system at your roofline helps move vast quantities of precipitation off your house and direct it at least ten feet away from your foundation. Just because rain is unaccompanied by high winds does not eliminate the flooding danger it poses to your home. If water falling over the entirety of your roof sheets down directly next to your foundation, it makes its way through the stone, brick, concrete, or cinder block and into your basement.

What Steps Do I Take to Avoid Gutter and Downspout Failure in the Future?

Get into a routine. Gutters can fill with roof granules, leaves, sticks, and other debris. These impediments to free-flowing rainwater must be removed regularly. Check on the condition of the components, fasteners, and connections, and immediately arrange to replace, repair, and upgrade.

Is It Feasible to Find a Flood Damage Restoration Contractor that Can Do It All?

As our crews work through the debris cleanup, contaminated water removal and disposal, residue remediation, disinfection, and structural drying, you often are not back to preloss condition. Structural damage, including planned demolition to release hidden water and enhance drying efforts, remains. Rather than shaking your hand and referring you to another contractor for rebuilding, we can help you with repairs, replacement, and reconstruction, licensed in the state of Massachusetts.

Trust the team at SERVPRO of Upper Cape Cod and The Islands to stand with you and implement successful strategies to bring you out of a storm-related flood situation successfully. Call us for assistance of any kind at (508) 888-5985.