GREENSBORO, N.C. - As Florence pounded the eastern part of our state with rain, the Triad did not see the same level of impacts. However, parts of our area did not escape flooding and subsequent water damage, as rain moved through Sunday and Monday.
First Aide Restoration in Greensboro handles damage like this, and owner Doug Watkins says they have had many more calls than usual because of Florence.
He says after massive water damage, you want to act quickly. Untreated issues can set you back when it comes to paying for overall damage.
Depending on where the issue comes from will dictate how you pay for it. Watkins say if it's a leak coming from above that causes damage, it's normally covered by homeowners’ insurance. However, if it is flood water from the ground, that does not get covered by homeowners’ - you need a separate policy for that.
Watkins say most calls right now deal with water in the crawlspace or basement. A good rule of thumb: if water is covering half of a room or more, he says call in the experts.
To deal with lesser damage, you can use a Shop-Vac to get up as much water as possible, and small dehumidifier to dry out the space. For larger jobs - professionals will have the machinery to get the water out, with heavy duty dehumidifiers and air movers.
You don't want to let this sit. It takes about 3 to 5 days to completely dry out a space, and from there, you can find out what repair need to be made.
If you let it sit, mold and mildew can become a very real problem. Mold is naturally existing, so some is okay, but a lot can cause allergic reactions and other medical issues.
Experts want you to remember that bleach can't kill mold! It will make it worse. You want to clean it with specific anti-mold materials, things with hydrogen peroxide, vinegar and baking soda.
If water-damaged furniture isn’t cleaned within the first two days, throw it out. You can dry it out outside but remember - simply drying out water will not remove bacteria or toxins that make people sick - especially if it got wet from flood water. If carpet gets soaked from the storm – Watkins says, throw it out.
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