If you don’t remove standing water from your home or yard, it can cause several irreversible side effects, including mold and mildew growth, structural damage, short circuit, and rotting and decaying wood. It can also cause health problems, especially if the water is contaminated.
Respond to standing water quickly as it has become even more crucial if your home is prone to mosquitos. Mosquitoes breed during spring and winter, and they aim for stagnant water. The presence of these insects means a risk of catching mosquito-borne diseases like malaria, dengue, and chikungunya.
So, what’s the best remedy?
Call for water extraction services immediately. Water extraction services are generally provided by water damage restoration companies. A good agency will be equipped with advanced machinery, such as an industrial wet vacuum cleaner or a sump pump to treat water damage and flooding. Most companies also provide support services like mold and mildew removal, disinfection, and other remedial measures.
Your water extraction service provider will most probably use a submersible pump with an attached suction strainer that can go up to a few inches down to extract the water from your yard. These pumps are called puddle suckers.
The technician may also use an automated pump and remove the water completely without human assistance.
You must think of a permanent solution if you have a regular flooding problem.
What You Can Do to Establish a Permanent Solution
While you cannot exercise this process inside the house, it will help you to extract water from your yard or garden patio.
Try to lift some slabs from the yard so that you are able to create a sump where you can install a fully-automated pump. The pump will be attached to a float switch cable and extract water as and when the water reaches a certain height.
However, since this will not work inside the house, you must seek the help of a water restoration company to restore your home. Meanwhile, you can do the following actions to save time and speed-up the extraction process.
Tips to Extract Standing Water Quickly:
Since water can be very destructive, you have to take quick measures to prevent structural damage and waterborne health problems.
- Always assume that the stagnant water inside the home is contaminated so that you take extra measures in removing and disinfecting it.
- Consider elevating your home or buy/rent a property that is in an elevated position if you live in a flood-prone area.
- Rent or shop a wet vacuum cleaner or a portable water pump to extract the water. Renting should be a better option if the water flooding is sudden and not because of frequent flooding.
- Throw away porous material and foods that came in contact with the water.
- If there’s fecal material, chemicals, sewer water, or any other contaminated water, please wear protective gear before removing it. Dispose of the debris by adhering to the health and safety guidelines and standards.
- When using a vacuum cleaner, read the manual and instructions prior to use.
- Try to build a proper drainage system if you are not able to install a sump pump in the yard. Make sure the drains in your homes are well maintained and clear of debris.
- After water removal, dry and disinfect the surfaces, drywall, upholsteries, insulation, and carpets to prevent wood-decaying and mold growth. You can use household chlorine bleach and detergent solution to disinfect your home. You can also buy readymade, store brought products to do the needful.
- Dry out your home completely before you move the furniture back. Use a dehumidifier, ceiling and table fans to let the trapped moisture out of the house. Cross ventilation is also a good way to make your home breezy.
Call your water extraction service provider for comprehensive assistance in the prevention of water damage.