Severe Weather, Water Damage & Flooding

Severe Weather, Water Damage & Flooding

Here in the Midwest it’s flood season with expected severe weather outbreaks that can lead to widespread flooding.

On the East Coast, the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration predicts an above-average hurricane season in 2025 with 13-19 named storms. In the Midwest, we typically experience flash flooding, heavy rains, and damaging storms that can lead to water intrusion in homes and businesses. If you become a victim of flooding, remember these four steps!

If you notice standing water, turn off your electricity and gas, move valuable items to a dry space, and contact your insurance company to see if you’re covered. 

Start by removing excess water with a portable extractor, flood pumper, truckmount, carpet or hard surface wand, water claw, wet vacuum or any piece of equipment that will pull up water quickly and efficiently. If you have a wet/dry shop vacuum in your garage, this can work well for removing standing water quickly. Make sure to check the manual, and wear appropriate gear before starting. Personal protective equipment (PPE) can include nitrile gloves, shieldtech suits, full and half face respirators, hazmat boots, and more.

Water Extraction Tip: Is it time to call a professional? Maybe. If the water situation is overwhelming, or developing faster than you can maintain or make progress, it may be time to call a professional. See the end of this article for more information.

Using dehumidifiers and air movers are essential to the structural drying process, and for preventing mold growth. Once the water is removed, you need to dry out the affected space. If you have fans and conventional dehumidifiers around the house or business, this is a good place to start but it is recommended to get professional grade restoration equipment to dry the area quickly such as industrial fans and LGR dehumidifiers. Mold can start growing within 24 hours with the right conditions.

To dry the structure properly, you’ll need measurements of the area. Measurements will help determine how many dehumidifiers and air movers will be required to effectively dry the area.

Before you make any decisions you need to ask these important questions: 

1. Is water behind the wall?
2. Is water under the floor?
3. Is water exclusive to one area?

Knowing where the water is and choosing the right type of dehumidifier is a crucial step in the water restoration process. Low Grain Refrigerant (LGR) dehumidifiers are highly effective at removing moisture behind walls and under floors, and are most commonly used in water restoration jobs.

What is the difference between an LGR Dehumidifier and a Conventional Dehumidifier?

• LGRs will pull moisture lingering in materials, most conventional dehumidifiers only pull moisture from the air.
• LGRs work better in low humidity levels, standard dehumidifiers struggle as humidity drops.
• LGRs pre-cool the air, removing moisture more quickly and efficiently.

Need equipment today? Ask us about our Phoenix and Dri-Eaz LGR dehumidifiers and air movers!

Not ready to purchase new equipment? Ask us about our rental equipment and our rental/buying incentive program! View Rental Equipment

Air filtration and purification has become popular no matter where you are or what you’re dealing with. You’ll find at least one type of air filtration device in most houses and businesses but the most important part of air filtration is the type of filter being used. HEPA filters prevent cross contamination, increase air quality, decrease odors, and decrease the risk of mold growth by capturing 99.99% of airborne particulates.

It is recommended to use professional grade equipment and true HEPA filters to scrub the air quickly and efficiently, especially for large spaces.

What is HEPA? 

• HEPA stands for High Efficiency Particulate Air and captures 99.97% of airborne particles as small as 0.3 microns. Particles smaller than 0.3 microns are typically invisible to the human eye and require a microscope to see.

Recommended HEPA Air Scrubber Equipment: 

• Phoenix GuardianR
• Dri-Eaz HEPA 2000
• Dri-Eaz HEPA 700
• Dri-Eaz HEPA 500
• Proteam HEPA Backpack Vacuums
• Proteam HEPA Eco Force Vacuums
• Atrix HEPA Backpack Vacuums
• Atrix High Capacity HEPA Vacuum
• Atrix Omega HEPA Vacuum
• Euroclean Hepa Vacuum
• Lindhaus HEPA Vacuums
• Pullman Holt Dry HEPA Vacuum

HEPA filters, pre-filters, and carbon activated filters available.

When you’ve exhausted your resources and Mother Nature wins… we’ve got a variety of mold elimination treatments to choose from. 

First, what is mold?  Mold is a type of fungus that can be found indoors and outdoors and grows in the right conditions.

What are the right conditions for mold? Mold thrives in wet, humid environments.

How does mold spread? By producing mold spores that can easily spread through the air.

Is mold a risk to my health? Absolutely. Exposure to damp and moldy environments can cause a variety of health issues.

What can I do to prevent and remove mold? 

• Keep humidity levels down – below 50%
• Ensure consistent air movement
• Eliminate damp/wet environments and materials immediately
• Use a popular hands-off approach – CLO2 (Chlorine Dioxide) packs Read More
• Choose from a variety of mold-killing chemical solutions (non-toxic and environmentally-friendly options available)
• Employ Ozone Machines – mold-killing equipment

Note: Ozone machines are not safe to be around while in use but are highly effective in killing mold spores.

Professionals: Want to learn more about mold elimination and remediation? Set up a consultation and/or register for the IICRC Applied Microbial Remediation Technician (AMRT) course this October.  AMRT Class Details