Down And Dirty: The Three Grossest Problems In The Aftermath Of A Flood

Water damage is a messy, messy ordeal. Rarely is water damage made up of completely clean water. In practice, floodwater is often contaminated with all kinds of bacteria and microbes. As a result, floodwater can turn into a huge, dangerous mess. From our water damage restoration professionals at Alert Disaster in Bakersfield, here are some of the grossest consequences of a flood including contaminated water.

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Mold Growth

Mold is an almost unavoidable problem for moderate to major water damage disasters. Mold simply grows too fast before all of the floodwater and moisture has a chance of being removed trying to avoid giving it a chance to grow. Not to mention, mold is one of the grossest, most unsightly issues you can have in your home. Whether it be the toxic spores it releases into the air or nasty mold spots spreading throughout your home, mold is one surefire way to make your home a dirty, less comfortable place to be.

Pests Infestations

Many pests like bugs, rodents, and insects are attracted to moisture so a flooded home is an ideal place for them to take up residence. They are particularly attracted to the damp, dark corners of your home. Damp rugs and carpets also make an ideal home for them. While many of the bugs that might find their way to your home are fairly harmless like cockroaches, ants, and beetles, that doesn’t mean they aren’t revolting! Even more concerning, however, are the bugs that pose a threat to your home and your health. Bugs like termites are attracted to water and like to eat away at the foundation of your home. Other pests like mosquitoes and rats carry dangerous diseases that endanger your health as well. 

Fortunately, the strategy for keeping these bugs out of your home is simple. Clean up the water as fast as you can! The longer you allow the moisture to remain indoors, the odds of pests coming in will increase and some bugs will find the moisture and decide to take up residence there. 

Contaminated Water

Finally, contaminated water is often a disgusting side effect of water damage. Contaminated water can contain any kind of harmful contaminants. However, these contaminants usually tend to contain dangerous bacteria or microorganisms or even sewage in serious cases. 

Water damage restoration experts classify water damage contamination into three main categories — clean, gray, and black. Clean water contains no contaminants and is not harmful to be around. Gray water contains a low to moderate level of contamination. It may be made up of floodwater that came from outside due to a major storm. Blackwater is the most dangerous type of contaminated water for it contains sewage or fecal matter and should only ever be handled by trained restoration professionals. 

As you can see, the messy aftereffects of water damage are nothing to play around with. Before long, your home can become a dangerous, contaminated mess after a flood. Our team at Alert Disaster in Bakersfield is here to help you respond to a flood and quickly respond to its effects before your home becomes too contaminated by dirty floodwater. Call us to help you with your water damage today.