When the Wabash River Washes into Your Lafayette Home

8/1/2019 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Lafayette has the experience and equipment necessary to dry your flood damaged home.

Flood Damage Removal And Restoration For Lafayette Homes

Maybe not as well-known as another city with the same name, Lafayette residents here still have to deal with flooding after extreme weather causes the Wabash River to crest.

Lafayette flood damage in our state may not be as overwhelming as elsewhere, but SERVPRO restoration teams still train for the worst while hoping for the best. Each team carries a group of certified Water Damage Restoration Technicians or WRTs that can draw out water, clean all surfaces, and dry the home.

Since this is outside water, it contains soil, fertilizers, and dozens of other contaminants. Team members have to reduce health risk before taking care of the home. They start by spraying the surface of all standing water with an anti-bacterial agent. That includes everything from two inches of water in the basement to the small puddles dotting the floor of the laundry room.

SERVPRO WRTs then bring in pumps and other water extraction devices to clear the home of water. For levels about two inches or higher, they start with commercial-grade pumps that quickly clear out basements and the rest of the home. Once the water is down to just covering the surface, technicians switch to the smaller extractors. They can adjust the speed of these devices to work on everything from concrete garage floors to living rooms carpets.

Now the teams remove property too damaged for restoration. Paper items such as books and magazines can fall apart in a short time, and we cannot dry them to their original state. Since the floodwater contains contaminants, our teams cannot guarantee the safety of the carpet even after cleaning. After removing the water to reduce the weight of it, team members carefully dispose of the carpet and pad underneath it.

Next, the team sets up dehumidifiers, fans, and air movers to draw moisture from the air and force it out of affected surfaces like wood floors and drywall. Team members can adjust the rate of each device to take advantage of the humidity level and dry the structural property without accidentally causing secondary damage during the process.

As the home dries, other team specialists clean all flooded surfaces. Depending on the type of surface and the amount of soil and other contaminants remaining, they use everything from a mild cleaner on garage walls to a strong sterilant that kills nearly all organic material in the kitchen and bathrooms.

Our goal at SERVPRO of Lafayette is to return each home to its original, dry state before the flood. To start the restoration process here or in Battle Ground, Indian Village, and West Lafayette, call us at (765) 420-0077 today to schedule a service call.

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