How Long Does It Take to Dry Out a House After a Flood?
When a flood damages your house, it seems really apocalyptical. Yet, almost everything can be improved. In our article, we'll tell you how to dry out a house after a flood and how long it can take to get it back to the pre-loss condition.
What's the first thing you should do when you see your house flooded? Our first advice is not to fall into panic. You need to make several calls as soon as possible. The first one is a 911 call to depict the situation and to get help with the source of the flood. Then, it is not time to wait, so call your insurance company ASAP to get ready for your future claim. In that case, you can claim your water damage compensation, but not flood damage one, as a common homeowners insurance policy doesn't cover flood damage. Looks hard to deal with it? Make the third call to hire a public adjuster as this pro can help you with documenting all the damage, calculating and correct claim making.
So, all the preparations have been done to ensure you will be helped. Now it's time to decide on one more important question: who will dry out your house after the flood?
- Some homeowners decide to cope with that task themselves. If you are experienced in water mitigation routines, it is really a way out for you. But in case you have no idea what to start with, it is better to delegate all drying out routines to professionals.
- Calling water mitigation services and flood damage restoration companies is the quickest solution. In case of flood, each hour is priceless. Even if the level of water is only several inches high, it's a die-hard deal to remove it. Besides, the mold starts growing in several hours.
It is up to you to decide what actually to choose for drying out your house after a flood. But we highly recommend hiring pros for this annoying process.
What Measures to Take to Dry Out a House After a Flood?
The main problem that residents of a flooded home will face is stagnant water. If you look at the root of the problem, then all the difficulties are associated with water, which must be eliminated. The longer the water is found in the rooms, the larger the lesion, the more surfaces and furniture will be irretrievably damaged. The most common consequences of flooding in an apartment include the following:
- Contrary to expectations, not only the floor suffers. Moisture permeates walls, ceilings and furniture.
- The floor covering is something that must be completely replaced. If you can still try to save the decoration of the walls and ceiling, then the floor, in most cases, is irretrievably lost. Exceptions are concrete floors and tiles in case of quick water removal.
- Flooding of electrical wiring is the most dangerous event during a flood.
- The smell of dampness persists in the apartment for a long time after its flooding. It is almost impossible to remove it until the root cause is eliminated and the furniture dries out.
- It may happen that the finishing materials which have been subject to flooding may appear to be practically intact after their drying. Be wary of the decision to leave the same finish, as this kind of self-deception can lead to the development and spread of mold within a short time.
In any case, water damage mitigation specialists and public adjusters can evaluate the damage caused and provide you with the whole list of what should be removed.
How Much Time Does It Take to Dry out a Home After a Flood?
The answer to this question largely depends on the following factors:
- what area has been flooded and how high the water level is,
- how quickly you have begun to take measures to dry the premises,
- if you have taken out all the furniture and things from the house to dry,
- whether you dry the premises yourself or apply to professional help.
Independent attempts to dry out a house after a flood can take weeks or even months. In this case, you can't get off with one rag and air conditioner. And the longer the water is in the house, the worse the consequences will be. If professionals are involved, the process will take a shorter period of time, from several days to a couple of weeks at most, depending on the complexity of the situation. Dehumidification specialists use powerful industrial technology, such as dehumidifiers, water pumps, special compounds for removing the mold. Thanks to this, the period of draining the house is significantly reduced.
Flooded house is not a disaster. With the professional help, you can quickly return it to a pre-loss state and remove all the signs of a flood from your premises. Be sure, it is not a one-minute process but, it is up to you to make it faster and more efficient. Even more, the quicker you start removing water from your home, the less expenses you may have in future to restore it. Time is your powerful enemy in the struggle for a dry and comfortable house, so do not waste a second and start drying it out immediately after the source of flood has been eliminated. Applying to a public adjuster and benefitting from specialized services will help you with it.