Full-Service Recovery and Cleaning After Portsmouth Flood Damage

7/27/2022 (Permalink)

Don't let flood damage take over your property, Call SERVPRO at (603) 433-4300.

Are Contaminants a Factor in Flood Damage? 

Flooding is a highly stressful and traumatic situation for homes in the area, and this can get amplified when you consider the possibilities of contamination. Floodwater penetrating a structure can often introduce debris. We assess the possibilities of contaminants and begin work immediately to protect your house and its occupants from exposure if this type of loss exists. 

Is the Water Contaminated?

When our professionals first arrive to assess flood damage to Portsmouth homes, we must also determine the likelihood that contaminants could exist. Natural flooding, or rather the penetration of groundwater from outside the house into the living space, is nearly always considered to contain substances and matter that make it a threat to those exposed. Labeling floodwater as a blackwater, or category three loss event, means that our SERVPRO professionals believe that threatening substances exist, such as:

• Chemicals
• Sewage
• Organic Matter

Removing Contaminated Contents

Exposed contents cannot always be cleaned, especially when they are porous. An item-by-item evaluation shows how technicians can restore certain belongings at our SERVPRO warehouse and where discarding could be the best option in other cases. 

Removing Contaminants

Removing the contaminants is often the product of removing the building materials or contents exposed. Carpeting, for example, must be pulled along with the padding underneath it. Wood trim and drywall must be cut out and discarded. 

When Surface Cleaning is Possible

Non-porous items are possible to protect rather than requiring the complete demolition of the property. Masonry and concrete are good examples of hard surfaces that can be cleaned and restored rather than removing the materials. Sanitizing products are suitable for this process, destroying any pathogenic threats of these installed materials. 

Trust our SERVPRO of The Seacoast, SERVPRO of Dover-Rochester, and SERVPRO of Durham teams to help with recovery and mold remediation. Give us a call today at (603) 433-4300.