Tips for Cleaning Your Crawlspace After a Flood

9/14/2022 (Permalink)

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A home flood can occur any time there is a storm. While there are things you can do to protect your home during storm season, floodwater may still get in. It’s important to mitigate the damage not only in the spaces you can see but also in the spaces that are not readily visible. You should always check your crawlspace for flooding after heavy rain.

Appropriate Safety Precautions

There are several safety precautions to take when you know your home has storm damage. Anyone who enters standing water should wear proper protective gear:

  • Rubber boots
  • Heavy gloves
  • Face mask
  • Protective coveralls

You should also turn off the electricity to reduce the risk of shock. Use good judgment -- if you think any part of your home may be unsafe, stay elsewhere. Leave wading through floodwater in your crawlspace to the technicians from the flood restoration company that you hire to mitigate the damage.

Accurate Documentation

You should report your home flood to your insurance company, but an adjuster may not be able to make it to your house quickly if there are a lot of problems in the area due to the storm. To capture the most accurate evidence of the damage, it’s a good idea to take pictures or videos of the flood’s impact on the crawlspace and other affected areas. This can be valuable when you are filing your claim.

Thorough Cleanup

Ideally, your sump pump will kick in when the water in your crawlspace starts to rise, so that should take care of a lot of the major extraction. The area must be completely dried and disinfected before the job is done, though. A thorough cleanup helps prevent mold growth and the subsequent damage it can cause to the structure of your home.

Home flood cleanup must cover both the areas you can see and those you cannot see. Don’t forget spaces such as your crawlspace when assessing the damage.