Biggest Risks of Flood and Water Damage

One of the most potent dangers homeowners face today is flood and water damage. The statistics regarding this matter, based in the United States, speak for themselves.

Every day, 14,000 homeowners experience a water and/or flood damage emergency.

• 98 percent of basements will experience some amount of flooding in their lifetime.
• 10 percent of homes have leaks substantial enough that they waste 90 gallons of water, or more, a day.
• 37 percent of US homeowners claim to have suffered losses from water damage.
• Approximately one trillion gallons of water is lost from water leaks in the US each year equaling the annual water use of Los Angeles, Chicago, and Miami combined.

To help keep you from becoming a part of any of these statistics, below are a few of main dangers stemming from water damage to look out for.

Contaminated water-

Floodwater often contains dangerous contaminants or bacteria. One of the most common contaminants that mix in with flood water is sewage. There is a host of deadly, infectious diseases that can be found in sewage or otherwise contaminated water. A few of the most common diseases one can contract from this are cholera, typhoid, and dysentery. Each one of them is very dangerous and serious if contracted. Thus, if you find your home affected by this you should take care to wear protective clothing and respiration gear. However, when this type of damage is done to your home, it is always best to call the professionals who can get the job done in a safe and thorough manner.

Mold-

Mold is one of the most common results of any kind of water damage. Mold is so common because it is very difficult to have all the excess water removed from your home after a flood in a very timely manner, and mold can begin to grow within 24-48 hours. The effects mold has on people tend to vary. For those who are sensitive to mold, it can cause minor symptoms such as nasal stiffness, throat irritation, coughing, and eye irritation. For those more seriously affected by mold, they may experience more alarming health risks such as upper respiratory tract symptoms, bronchitis, and even the development of asthma in those who didn’t previously suffer from it. Typically, these more serious symptoms tend to develop in young children, the elderly, or those with already weakened immune systems.

Structural damage-

Water traveling at 10 miles per hour has the same force as wind traveling at 270 miles per hour. Rapidly moving flood water can batter down and weaken the overall structure of your home. Also, flood water penetrates deeply into the Earth which can cause the foundation of the home to move, shift, and even break.

These are issues that every homeowner may have to face at some point. If you are unfortunate enough to encounter them yourself, Clean Masters Disaster Restoration Service in the Charleston area is here for you for all of your water damage restoration needs. We can get your home safe and back to normal in no time.