My Separated Garage is Inundated with Floodwater, What Can I do?

4/30/2020 (Permalink)

When you find your Patchogue home or garage underwater from a flood--Call SERVPRO for Extraction and Restoration

Floodwater Removal in Patchogue is as Simple as Calling SERVPRO.  

Many Long Island residents have a separated garage, which is a vehicle-housing structure detached from their main house.  Several homeowners in Patchogue even have a detached garage connected to their boathouse.  While this seems convenient during good weather, it can cause a lot of headaches during stormy conditions.  Hurricanes, Nor’easters, and other severe storms routinely pass the Great South Bay throughout any given year.  Related storm surges and excess water from torrential rains can quickly cause flooding.  While these seemingly inevitable prospects are troubling, there are ways to limit damage and recover from such events.   

Why is SERVPRO a Good Service Option for Handling Floodwater Removal in Patchogue?

There are numerous reasons why SERVPRO is an excellent service for floodwater removal from your separated garage in Patchogue.  Here are just a few of them:

• The owners and technicians have decades of experience in handling these issues
• Our technicians are trained and certified by the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC)
• Workers are specifically certified in Water Damage Restoration and Applied Structural Drying
• We are experienced in removing and disposing of hazardous water and waste
• Our professionals use state-of-the-art equipment to remove floodwater and restore your separated garage
• We are located near you, are available 24/7, and can often be on-site within four hours of your call

Is There Anything I Can Do Before a Storm in Patchogue to Limit Potential Floodwater Damage?

Before the arrival of a storm, there are a few things you can do to minimize potential floodwater damage.  These measures include:

• Moving your car or truck out of the garage to higher ground
• Trailering your boat and taking it to a safe storage location
• Removing any valuable tools, equipment, or loose items that could float away or be destroyed by water
• Boarding up any garage windows
• Making sure your detached structure’s roof and gutters are in good condition
• Ensuring that all drains around the standalone building are open and free of debris 

Taking these steps prior to the arrival of storms and related flooding goes a long way to lessen the severity of potential floodwater damage.

What Happens After I Contact SERVPRO?

Once the storm has passed, call SERVPRO.  Within four hours or so, we are at your Patchogue location and ready to get to work.  Our trained and experienced technicians first work to rid your garage of standing water and flood-related waste.  They start by:  

• Employing extractors and pumps to remove standing water
• Spraying disinfectants approved by the EPA on impacted surfaces
• Raking and shoveling up mud and flood debris
• Removing and disposing of everything affected by floodwaters

After the initial floodwater and debris removal, our workers get started on drying and deodorizing your garage.  This process occurs in the following stages:

• Dehumidifiers, air movers, and injectidry systems are used to dry the interior surfaces of your garage
• As this procedure is going on, moisture levels are measured with sensors and meters
• Once moisture levels reach appropriate levels, the drying process is considered complete
• Finally, after everything is dry, our technicians use foggers to disinfect and deodorize the building

How Does SERVPRO’s Service Benefit Me Over the Long-Term

Besides limiting the overall severity of your flood damage and returning your detached garage to operational condition, our service benefits you in other ways.  First, our policy of always trying to restore things before replacing them ultimately saves you money and time.  Over the long-term, SERVPRO’s work usually keeps your garage in top condition.  It helps eliminate harmful microorganisms that can cause sickness and structural dry rot over time.  Also, the deodorization we do neutralizes unpleasant and distracting odors.  The effect of this deodorizing often lasts quite a long time.  

Having a home on the south shore of Long Island offers you an excellent seaside lifestyle, but it is not without weather-related risks.  Strong storms are relatively common year-round in this part of the Northeast.  When these pass over or around the Patchogue area, they can bring with them substantial storm surges and catastrophic flooding.  These floodwaters impact all structures on your property, especially those at lower elevations and nearest bodies of water.  Take appropriate precautions before all serious forecasted storms and rest assured that there are floodwater removal services that can help if your property floods.  The sooner you address storm-related issues and damage, the cheaper and quicker they are to correct or repair.   

Remember not to panic when disaster strikes because that does not help.  Instead, whenever you experience catastrophic flooding or even a more minor water-related event, give SERVPRO of Patchogue a call at (631) 924-1801.