Construction: Flood Cleanup in Three Steps

In the wake of unprecedented rain in parts of Texas, Austin-based builder and blogger Matt Risinger explains the three steps in flood cleanup.

“If you get flooded out, just remember the Three D’s of flood cleanup – demo, dry, and disinfect,” Risinger writes.

Demolition should be done as soon as the water recedes, especially on low-cost absorbent building materials like sheetrock, insulation, and carpet pad.

When all the absorbent and wet material is thrown out, bring in fans and dehumidifiers. Risinger recommends a carpet dryer fan because “they move a lot of air right along the floor line.”

The final step is disinfecting the space using a mildewcide like Microban, although Risinger says that if you “do a good job on the demo/dry step, [this] last step is least important in my experience.”

For the full instructions and picture guide, head over to Matt Risinger’s blog.