Things To Consider When Cleaning Your Property After A Flood
Floods can wreak havoc on your home and your property. Destroyed landscapes, flooded septic systems, and damaged drain fields can leave you feeling lost about how to start your remediation efforts. There are a few key things that you should think about when you're trying to decide how to handle the post-flood cleanup process.
Be Mindful Of Hazardous Waste
You can't be sure that the flood water is free of contaminants, pathogens, and bacteria. Plan accordingly with safety equipment to protect yourself from exposure while you're working on your property. If you want to reduce the risk of contamination, it's best left to the professionals, but that doesn't mean you can't get involved if you'd prefer.
Do A Full Walkthrough
Walk through all of the accessible areas of the property and assess the damage. Look for any standing water that may indicate drainage issues so that you can tackle those things first. It's important to eliminate standing water since it can harbor bacteria, breed mosquitoes, and pose other hazards.
Create a list of other cleanup needs, damage repairs, and other issues that need to be addressed. That way, you can prioritize the tasks in the order of severity to restore your property as necessary.
Eliminate Damaged Shrubs
Any damaged shrubs, greenery, branches, and other plants that were washed up from the flood should be gathered and disposed of. In most cases, these are not salvageable because the roots are so heavily saturated. Dispose of them properly to avoid drawing pests and causing further damage to the property.
Establish New Drainage
Once you've dealt with the water flow issues, you know where your drainage problems are. Work with a flood mitigation specialist to identify the causes of your drainage issues and incorporate added features to help direct water away from your property.
This is usually done with grading to integrate drainage slopes as well as some channels to facilitate water flow. Ask your contractor about the best methods for your property based on the structure, landscaping, and hardscaping that you have to work around.
Flood damage to your property is a serious concern for many reasons. Not only can it be hazardous, but it can lead to structural issues, erosion in the soil, and contamination of the water table without proper drainage. These are some of the steps to consider as you start approaching the property restoration process after a flood.
For help with your flood damage efforts, contact a property flood cleaning service in your area.
