ServiceMaster Metropolitan | News & Tips

Floods can inundate every part of your home, damaging everything from your furniture to your valuable belongings. In such a situation, you’ll need to appoint a firm to perform the necessary flood damage cleanup in the Upper East Side of NYC and throughout northern New Jersey. A hasty cleanup will stop further damage and expedite the recovery process.

It’s also smart to flood–proof your home so that future flood–related damage can be minimized. One step in this process consists of wet flood–proofing. Let’s look at what wet flood–proofing is and how to implement it.

What is Wet Flood-Proofing?

Wet flood–proofing is a method in which floodwaters are actually allowed to enter your home. The advantage of this method is that as the water level inside the house rapidly reaches the same level as the floodwaters outside, the negative effects of buoyancy and hydrostatic pressure are reduced.

This means that the load your home has to bear becomes balanced, which lowers the risks of structural damage to your home.

Use of Wet Flood–Proofing

• This technique is usually utilized for limiting damage to:
• Enclosures under elevated buildings
• Crawlspaces
• Attached garages
• Below–grade basements
• Walkout on–grade basements
• Non air–conditioned porches

Achieving Wet Flood-Proofing

For wet flood–proofing, it’s necessary to:

• Install a wall opening
• Use water–damage–resistant material

Installing Wall Openings: The primary task in successful wet flood–proofing involves the installation of wall openings so that floodwaters can easily enter or exit the home.

Accordingly, the openings should be installed in garage walls and foundation walls below the anticipated flood level. The aim here is not only to let the floodwater enter or exit the home, but also to ensure that the water flows in and out of the house freely to ensure the hydrostatic pressure remains constant.

Thus, for successful wet flood–proofing it’s important to have the required number of openings at the desired size.

The size and number of openings required will be higher if the flooded area within the house is large and if the rise and fall of the water needs to occur at a fast rate.

Using Water–Damage–Resistant Material: For any successful wet flood–proofing, it’s necessary to replace the building materials below the expected flood level with water–resistant materials such as:

• Masonry blocks
• Clay and ceramic tiles
• Natural and pressure treated decay–resistant lumber
• Concrete, stone, or metal
• Epoxy based paints

If your home has been affected by flooding and your belongings and building structure are sustaining damage due to prolonged exposure to water and its associated contaminants, you need to call us here are ServiceMaster Metro for flood damage cleanup services in the Upper East Side of NYC and across northern New Jersey.

We have the required knowledge of the procedures to be followed during flood damage cleanup. Our qualified technicians can ensure that everything is cleaned and restored as quickly as possible.

Just give us a call at 1.855.560.7999 and our team will reach your house to assess the situation and start the necessary cleanup work.