Flood and storm cleanup
Metro Atlanta storms bring water in from every direction: through a roof that lost shingles, under a door on a sloped lot, up through a floor drain, or from a creek that jumped its bank. Outside water carries silt, bacteria and whatever it crossed on the way in, so it is treated as contaminated and handled differently from a clean supply leak.
What storm cleanup covers
- Flood water and silt pumped and shoveled out of basements, crawl spaces and living areas
- Emergency roof tarping and board-up to stop further water entry
- Contaminated drywall, insulation, carpet and pad removed and bagged
- Cleaning and antimicrobial treatment of the structure that stays
- Structural drying with equipment sized for a large wet area
- Photos, readings and a written scope for the insurance or flood claim
Storm water versus flood water
Insurance treats them differently. Water that came in through a storm-damaged roof or window is usually a homeowners claim. Water that rose from outside, over the ground and into the house, is usually a flood claim under a separate flood policy. We document the way the water entered so the right claim can be made, and we tell you plainly what we see.
Crawl spaces and basements
Much of Walton and Gwinnett sits on sloped lots with a basement or crawl space on the low side, and that is where storm water ends up. Standing water under a house wets the floor framing and insulation from below and goes unnoticed for weeks. If your crawl space took water, it needs to be pumped and dried the same as a living room.
Questions about flood and storm cleanup
A tree came through the roof and it is raining in. What first?
Stay out of that room, kill power to it if wiring is exposed, and call. We tarp the opening first so the house stops taking on water, then deal with what is already wet.
The water came up from outside. Is that covered?
Rising water from outside is usually a flood claim, which is a separate policy from homeowners insurance. Check whether you have one. Either way, the water has to come out and the structure has to be dried, and we document it for whichever claim applies.
Is storm water dangerous?
Treat it as contaminated. It has crossed yards, roads and sometimes sewers. Keep children and pets out, do not handle wet materials bare-handed, and let us remove them.