In South Florida, significant rainstorms, hurricanes, and flooding are a fact of life. Water damage needs to be dealt with immediately because Florida’s humid weather can quickly lead to mold growth, insects, and wood damage. It’s imperative to call flood damage repair experts in Florida the moment water gets into your home.

When your home floods, this is no time to act on your own. After the water recedes, much of the damage is unseen. Several significant issues occur if your home is the victim of a flood.

Mold

An infestation of mold wreaks havoc on your home. Mold is known as the silent killer. It is not something for homeowners to take lightly. The most common cause of mold is lack of mold remediation after water damage.

What causes mold?

The perfect environment for mold consists of moisture, mold spores, and a food source. Also, it needs the dark and about 12 t o24 hours to start growing. Water damage in dark areas of the house like crawl spaces, basements, under the sink, and around the shower are perfect breeding grounds for mold.

What health issues does mold cause?

Some people are more sensitive to mold than others. Mold causes many health symptoms for them including, but not limited to:

• throat irritation
• watery eyes
• nasal stuffiness
• wheezing and coughing

Some people have an actual mold allergy. Correspondingly, the symptoms are more severe for them. People with chronic lung disease may develop an infection from exposure to mold. Adults and children with hypersensitivity pneumonitis, asthma, and immune-mediated conditions are at an even higher risk. Long-term exposure to mold causes serious health problems.

Insects

Pests after a storm are a severe problem. Water inundation brings several types of critters into your home. Mosquitos thrive when there is stagnant water, adding to the misery. Ants survive quite well during a flood.  In fact, fire ants are known to gather together in clumps of hundreds or thousands of ants and float as a colony on the flood waters.

Also, flies love the rot and decay that flooding brings. Wasps feast on the grubs that get washed out of the soil. Moreover, displaced cockroaches are looking for a new home. Floods also bring rodents, snakes, and lizard into homes.

Other Damage

Flooding and water damage has many effects on your home. There may be damage you can’t see, like in the drywall. There is often extensive wood damage from a flood or standing water. When you look for damage, check for water accumulation, changes in texture, discoloration, and warping. Moreover, thoroughly inspect the entire house including the walls, floors, and ceiling.

Look in the attic, crawlspace, basement, as well as the foundation for any sign of water damage, mold, or mildew. It can also hide inside appliances like washers, dryers, and dishwashers.

How Often do Beach-side Homes Flood During Severe Rainstorms and Storm Surges in South Florida?

South Florida often gets weather phenomenon like hurricanes, torrential rain. Residents stock up on food and water, board up windows, and close hurricane shutters when the severe weather is in the forecast. They know what’s coming.

The damage from a hurricane making landfall is severe. As a matter of fact, According to New Orleans TV station WDSU, 90% of the homes in the Florida keys were damaged or destroyed in 2017’s Hurricane Irma. In Florida, hurricane season runs from June 1 until October 31. On average, two hurricanes make landfall, and 40% of those hit Florida.

What You Should Do For Flood Damage Repair

Take the following steps if your home has flood damage.

1. Call professionals for help with damage assessment. 24-hour support means you can call immediately when the damage happens.
2. Turn off your electricity. Everyone knows water and electricity are a dangerous combination.
3. Attempt to stop the water. If there is a visible place where water is coming in, do your best to prevent it with barriers, sandbags, etc.
4. Move pets and family members to safe areas. Likewise, move belongings to higher ground.
5. Hire professionals to extract the water from carpets, furniture, and drywall.
6. Remove unsalvagable items. Unfortunately, it is likely that you can’t save some things. Avoid potential health hazards and get rid of them.
7.  Make repairs. Walls, cabinets, and floors need extensive remediation for restoration.
8. Document your progress and take pictures of everything for your insurance company. Do this throughout the process.
9. Call your insurance company. They work with your flood damage repair expert to make everything go smoothly and to make sure you don’t have any unexpected expenses.

If your home has experienced water damage, call flood damage repair experts in South Florida. Water damage is a problem you can’t ignore, and it has serious health implications for yourself and your family. Consequently, leave the cleanup to the professionals, so you are confident they deal with it thoroughly.