There have been literally thousands of people in our country alone in recent years that have had their homes flooded either a little or a lot because of storms that have wreaked havoc in certain areas. The hurricane Katrina victims come to mind first, but there have also been plenty of others living in the Pacific North West and in the Mid West as well. All of these people were forced to leave their homes quickly with no set time when they would be allowed to return and with no idea what would be salvageable when they finally did get to go back in.



For the fortunate ones, the damage could have been minimal if they only had a few inches of water, but for so many evacuees, the water level was much deeper and the affects the water had on their belongings was much greater. When they were allowed back into their homes after the water had receded, they were left in disbelief when they saw the terrible mess that was left behind. Whether they had insurance coverage or not, no one really knows where to start when faced with devastation of this kind.

The main objective for flood victims in the aftermath is determining what can be saved and what can not. There will be no question that many things are simply ruined beyond repair and must be thrown out. Many times the water had been in a home for several weeks and anything the water touched was likely to have been exposed to sewage and other toxic chemicals. Furniture, draperies, carpets, and rugs are usually destroyed and would not be items worth trying to restore.

If a two or more story home was flooded only on the first floor, the possibility of saving items that were up stairs might be a little better. If the water did not reach up there, clothing, bedding, carpets, rugs, draperies, and furniture might be alright. It will depend on how much moisture from humidity formed and if it was enough to cause mold growth. Mold is also a destructive element especially to wood, fabric, sheetrock, and any other thing it can grow on. Even if the water itself does not cause some of the main structures in a home like floors and walls to have to be torn out, the mold that begins living in them might.

Plastic, glass, and sometimes metal objects can be recovered and cleaned when they have been in the nastiest of water. If it can be scrubbed and sterilized, it is possible to reuse some of these items. A home owner that has been the victim of severe flooding is usually glad to be able to salvage anything they can from their life before the flood.