Standing Water? Standing IN Water? Call now.
If your building is flooded, stop reading and call now!
If you’ve had previous damage from water and it’s less of an emergency, you can call us or contact us by email.
Standing Water? Standing IN Water? Call now.
If your building is flooded, stop reading and call us!
If you’ve had previous damage from water and it’s less of an emergency, you can call us or contact us by email.
What Does A Flood Do To Property?
For many people who live in Southeastern Wisconsin, it’s a given that floods are not something you want to have happen to a property. Everyone agrees that a flood is terrible, but few people realize the true extent of the damage a flood can do.
While most people think it’s bad enough that a lot of water enters a home or commercial space, that’s just the start. There are many more hazards and potential for damage that are presented by a flood. Here’s why flood damage is so bad for homes and commercial spaces.
The Health Factor
Above all else, there is a considerable health risk associated with floods. Water, like our own internal fluids, such as blood, is an ideal preservative for bacteria. So a massive amount of water coming into a home has the potential to bring with it an enormous amount of germs, bacteria, and viruses.
Flood water is not the safe, chemically treated water that comes into taps in homes. Depending on the flood situation, it may be river water carrying dead animals’ carcasses caught in the flood. The worst-case scenario is that the sewage lines have overflowed. Human and animal waste are now entering homes. Even just touching this water without protection can lead to bacterial infection, so it is incredibly unsafe.
The Electrical Factor
Electricity is hazardous when combined with water. Once water enters a property, one of the most vulnerable points is active electrical lines still running with energy. If you didn’t have the chance to shut down the electricity in your home before a flood, there is a risk of short circuits.
Once the flooding is over, however, that doesn’t mean there’s no risk. Electrical wiring has now been compromised by extended exposure to water. Experts must carefully inspect the wiring in a home to determine whether it is safe, what can be repaired and what needs to be replaced. Before that professional inspection, it is hazardous to try running electrical power through the property again.
The Mold Risk
A final long-term hazard is the formation of mold in the building. Some mold types are incredibly hazardous to people, causing cognitive and even nerve, lung, or heart damage. These types of mold usually flourish in dark, damp places. A flooded home can absorb water into the home’s structural elements, such as wooden load-bearing beams, drywall, and other components.
If this mold takes hold, it reproduces by sending spores into the air. Continually breathing in the spores is what causes a host of different health issues. This is why even if there appears to be no more water on the surface, what lies behind walls, under floors, and over ceilings could still create a hazard.
If you need help with your property to restore things in the wake of a flood, we can help. Emergency Restoration Specialists have over 30 years of experience right here in the Milwaukee area. Contact us for a prompt, professional response.