Cleaning Up Flood Damage – Goffstown, NH

After a major flood, several books and historical records were affected in the library building in Goffstown, NH. The library staff were devastated, as they not only faced damage to their building and records, but also faced cleaning up flood damage.

The Process for Cleaning up Flood Damage

Floods are very dangerous.  Not only do floods cause damage and disruption, they can lead to injuries and illnesses.  For example, floods can disguise dangerous obstacles or become a breeding ground for infectious bacteria.  The dampness can also cause mold to develop. 

In the case of the library, important documents and years of history were ruined by flooding.  Frantic, the library staff took it upon themselves to follow these recommended steps to save their materials before cleaning up flood damage:

1. Use gloves, boots, long sleeves and pants to avoid contact with the water
2. Pull out damaged materials and set them aside
3. Use dehumidifiers to start removing moisture from the damaged materials
4. Sort whether the items are able to be restored or too damaged to be put back in the library
5. Take pictures of any damaged materials before disposing them, for insurance purposes and/or replacement
6. Restore any lost records from photographs as best as you can

There’s never a perfect way to restore items from a flood and sadly some items may be permanently damaged or lost.  Once a disaster happens, you need to be quick to restore objects.  The best way to avoid flood damage is to prevent it altogether. 

Prevention of Flood Damage

Some of the ways one can have a proper prevention plan for floods include:

• Have exterior drainage installed where needed
• Apply coatings and sealants to windows and doors
• Raise all objects to higher ground, including electrical appliances
• Make sure all pipes have valves to prevent sewage backups
• Routinely check gutter downspouts
• Know where water shut off valves are
• Have a periodic professional inspection of the roof

Anything one can do to limit flood damage goes a long way in saving a home or business.

Finding the Right Company for Cleaning up Flood Damage

When the library staff in Goffstown, NH realized they could not clean everything themselves, they called a professional flood damage cleaning company.  If the flood damage is severe, it is best to contact professionals rather than do it yourself.  Don’t wait.  Because the library staff had waited to call a professional company, some of the objects in the library were unable to be restored.

Soil-Away Cleaning and Restoration Services, LLC is a disaster relief company that specializes in cleaning up flood damage, as well as cleaning up several other disasters like mold and fire damage.  Soil-Away has IICRC-trained technicians who care for your property and provide 24-hour emergency services.  The library staff were relieved when the technicians came and restored their library, as well as saved many of the books and documents that were so essential to the town’s history.  If you need help cleaning up flood damage, or any other disaster relief in your home or business, don’t hesitate to call Soil-Away at (603) 641-6555.

NOTE: This case study is based on a true story, but the town has been changed.

By A. Phelps