Flood damage cleanup in Miami after rising and street water

Under the IICRC S500 standard, rising water from rivers, streams or the street is Category 3, the most contaminated level. It can carry sewage, soil, fuel and lawn chemicals, so anything porous it soaked through is generally treated as unsalvageable.

That changes what we keep. Carpet, pad, upholstered furniture, mattresses and the bottom of the drywall come out. Hard surfaces such as tile, terrazzo, sealed concrete, metal and solid wood can usually be cleaned, disinfected and dried.

A flood cut is a straight cut through the drywall above the highest wet point, usually somewhere between one and four feet off the floor. Removing that strip takes out the contaminated board and the wet insulation behind it, and opens the wall cavity so air can reach the studs and the back of the outer wall.

We measure before we cut, so the line sits above the wicking and not just above the visible waterline. A level line also makes the repair cleaner, because new drywall goes in as one even strip around the room.

• Cut height set by meter readings, not the waterline alone
• Wet insulation bagged and removed
• Baseboards and door casings pulled where water reached
• Cabinet toe kicks and bottom panels opened
• Studs and slab cleaned before drying starts

Flood water leaves a layer of fine silt on floors, inside wall cavities and under cabinets. We shovel and squeegee the bulk out, then wash the hard surfaces and apply an antimicrobial to the cleaned materials before drying equipment is set.

Cleaning comes before drying for a reason. Drying a dirty surface bakes the contamination into it, and blowing air across silt spreads it through the house.

Florida homes are usually built on concrete slabs, and flood water soaks into that concrete. A slab holds water tightly and releases it slowly, so it often needs dehumidifiers running for several days after the walls feel dry.

We keep the house closed while drying. Opening windows in a Miami summer lets in humid air that slows the process, so dehumidifiers do the work while air movers keep air flowing across the wall cavities and floor.

FEMA notes that most standard homeowners policies do not cover flood damage, and flood coverage is bought separately, often through the NFIP. NFIP residential policies cover up to $250,000 for the building and up to $100,000 for contents.

We take photos before anything is removed, measure the waterline and keep daily moisture logs. Hold on to a sample of carpet and pad if your adjuster has not seen them yet, and keep a list of the items that went out to the curb.