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Preventing a Common Post-Flood Problem

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Preventing a Common Post-Flood Problem

We mentioned in our last blog post that forecasters are predicting a less active hurricane season than in years prior, this summer. However, it’s important to remember that there is no fool-proof way to predict what we will and won’t see in terms of tropical storm activity. And unfortunately, even the most minor hurricane can bring major flooding into your home—even with preventive measures in place.

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A flood is messy and inconvenient enough without thinking about its future implications—but even so, it’s important to remember what can develop as a result—mold. Mold can be a result of plumbing or storm damage of course, but it can also be the cause of poor indoor air quality in Wesley Chapel, FL, and impending illness. Whichever the case, the point is that you don’t want mold in your home! So, how do you prevent this post-flood?

Immediately Remove the Water

Okay, so this one is pretty obvious—but remains an important part of the post-flood process. Consider renting a wet/dry vacuum from your local hardware store to remove as much of the water as you can, as soon as possible.

Use Fans to Accelerate the Carpet Drying Process

This can be a week-long process. We recommend keeping your ceiling fans running, and adding some box fans to help, for 24 hours a day. Even once your carpet feels dry on the surface, it may still be retaining moisture, so you should run the fans for a couple more days.

Dehumidify

Your air conditioner does have some dehumidification properties—that is, it removes moisture from your living space. However, it’s not adequate enough on its own to tackle the humidity we face, particularly if you add a flooding situation to the mix. Even without resting water being present in your home, a relative indoor humidity level over 50% is enough to warrant the use of a professionally installed whole-house dehumidifier.

Dehumidifiers come with a host of benefits. One of these systems will make your Florida home more comfortable all year round—since our humidity issues aren’t just seasonal—and they take the stress of your air conditioner, saving energy and subsequently saving you money. With or without preventing flood damage, this is at least one indoor air quality product well worth the investment.

Consider Replacing Your Carpet Padding

It’s not unusual for water-damaged carpet padding to necessitate replacement. This is usually less costly than re-carpeting the entire damage area—although we also recommend having your carpet properly sanitized and deodorized as well.

Keep Your Baseboards in Mind

Whether it is storm water or water from a burst pipe, anything in your home touched by water should be sanitized—including your baseboards, walls, hard surface floors, and furniture. This goes a long way in reducing the chance of mold growth in the tight crevices that exist where your baseboards meet the walls and floors.

Protect your home, health, and comfort this hurricane season—contact IERNA’s Heating & Cooling for superior indoor air quality products and services.

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