Debris Cleanup After a Flood or Water-Related Disaster
poppy johnson • May 12, 2020
There are more dangerous contaminants left over after a flood in Central Maryland.
When flood waters or a fire wreck-havoc with a home or office building, many different levels and types of debris will be left in their wake. Although the charred or wet debris may look like just “junk,” it can actually bring significant problems in response to health issues for the family or business owner. Debris and damaged possessions, belongings or materials from a home or office after a disaster loss can actually contain potentially life-threatening carcinogens. These hazardous and dangerous materials or contaminated structures can hold bacteria, mold, fungus, carcinogens or other dangerous microorganisms hazardous to health if inhaled or touched by humans.
For this reason, the professional remediators should be called in to remediate these disaster loss environments as soon as possible, to preserve the health of the people who use these spaces. In general, homeowners or business owners after a fire or flood loss should:
- Not try to turn on drinking water, well water pumps or septic systems until these related units are reported by health officials as safe to use again.
- Not disturb materials in the disaster environment to prevent the spread of bacteria and molds to unaffected areas of the home or building.
- Not have any contact with flood water, which may contain raw sewage or hazardous chemicals that spilled over as a result of the loss.
- Not use a generator indoors as a drying technique, as the carbon monoxide (CO) is a toxic dangerous gas that is lethal to humans.
Floodwaters can also contain and harbor dangerous infectious microorganisms including:
- Intestinal bacteria
- E. coli
- Salmonella
- Shigella
- Hepatitis A
- Typhoid
- Paratyphoid
- Tetanus
The signs of these waterborne microorganisms can include:
- Sickness and abdominal cramps
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Muscle aches
- Headaches
- Vomiting
- Fever
It is critical that homeowners do not come into contact or become exposed to any contaminated food or water from a flood. Also, if a person becomes exposed to soil that is infested with diseases, that individual can acquire tetanus that can come into the broken areas of skin through cuts or abrasions. If a person has a puncture wound and starts cleaning up from a flood, it is highly possible that a microorganism can enter the person's bloodstream and that individual can become ill from even a slight exposure to contaminated water.
Any time that there are floodwaters in a home, it is necessary to call in the professionals for a remediation or professional cleanup. This is because there could be chemicals and pesticides that are also present in the floodwaters. These contaminants are not going to be readily seen by the human eye, but they are in the water and can cause:
- Skin rashes
- Dizziness
- Excitability
- Weakness
Any time that you have experienced floodwaters we are here for you and can come to you to remediate your floodwater and general water damage any time that you need us. We are here for you 24/7, and are able to be the first responding technical crew on site after your flood waters have invaded your home. Just give us a call, we have operators standing by to take your information right now!
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