Contamination From Floods And How To Deal With It

21 August 2017
 Categories: Environmental, Blog

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Hurricanes Katrina and Andrew were some of the most devastating hurricanes the Gulf Coast saw in a long time. Perhaps even more devastating then the flood waters that followed was the raw sewage that mixed with the flood waters. This contaminated mess meant that every house that was flooded had to deal with urine and fecal matter after the flood waters receded. Even if you have not been involved in a hurricane, mild floods can contribute to contamination in your home. Here is how you can address this problem.

Hire a Contaminated Site Remediation Crew 

A contaminated site remediation crew specializes in the removal and sanitation of sites that have both water damage and raw sewage damage. The crew works to remove everything that has been damaged by the water alone, and then removes everything contaminated by waste. If there is still fecal matter present in your home, the crew will remove that as well.

Then the crew cleans, sanitizes and destroys mold and mildew and makes sure there is no sewage left. Just to make sure, swabs are taken from areas where fecal matter were noted. The swabs are sent to a lab to verify that these areas no longer contain even microscopic particles of fecal matter or urine. If the areas are verified as clean, then the crew focuses on mold remediation. If any of the swabs test positive for the presence of sewage contamination still, the crew returns to clean those areas again.

Flooring Removal, Decontamination, and Repainting

After the decontamination crew has done its job, consider removing any and all flooring that was affected by the flood and replacing it. Despite the fact that the decontamination crew would (and should!) have removed carpet and thoroughly cleaned wood and tile flooring, you may feel a little more comfortable in your home replacing the flooring. Also repaint everything, as the decontamination crew will leave the walls bare after scrubbing and disinfecting the walls and removing contaminated plaster to replace it.

Living Somewhere Else

While the crew does its job, you will have to live somewhere else. The presence of raw sewage, even on a microscopic level, is a bio-hazard. Numerous diseases are present in the smallest bits of matter and urine. While the mold and water damage are also a problem, the sewage is much more severe. To prevent long-term health effects or possibly death from these sources of contamination, you will have to find alternate housing. Thankfully, most homeowner's insurance covers these costs when you stay in a pre-approved facility or hotel.

For more information, contact companies like Pacific Commercial Services LLC.