Flood Damage Cleanup and Restoration

Flooding is one of the biggest worries for every property owner. Residents throughout Iowa have witnessed first hand the destruction that an unexpected flood can create. As recently as 2008, when the Cedar River rose to flood the city of Cedar Rapids, Iowa has seen its fair share of FEMA disasters from unexpected flooding. Restoration firms play a crucial role in helping to restore buildings following unexpected water damage. During the Cedar Rapids Flood, Jarvis Property Restoration, a local restoration firm worked with Linn County to coordinate the dry out of twenty eight government buildings.

severe flooding in cedar rapids photo

The process of repairing a property from water damage begins with a plan to extract excess water. In cases of severe flooding, restoration firms such as Jarvis will utilize truck mounted water extraction pumps that are capable of removing over 20,000 gallons of water per hour. Once all of the excess water has been removed from a property, the restoration firm will begin the process of drying out the structure. Utilizing equipment such as desiccant humidifiers, specialized fans, and in certain situations the TES drying system a restoration firm will begin properly drying down the structure. Once the property has been completely dried out, a thorough inspection is required to look for damage. Property damage could range from decayed building materials to mold or other biohazard waste. The process of cleaning, restoring and remediation is very important in the property restoration plan. Depending on the extent of property damage, complete restoration projects can take up to several months to complete.

Natural disasters such as floods are hard to prevent, but having a response plan in place can help to ensure your safety and minimize damages done to your property. Homeowners and businesses, who live in a flood zone, should routinely review their disaster plan. Including emergency contacts, escape routes, and resources are a critical part of this process. Recovering from a flood can take days, weeks or months in the worst case scenario, making the process of planning for a flood all the more critical.