This is PART 2 (of 2) describes Burst Water Pipe Home Flood Clean Up STEPS — from beginning to end.  Al’s Plumbing, Heating & A/C in Plano, Texas provides maintenance & repairs for all brands of Central A/C, Gas & Electric Furnace, and Heat Pumps.    Additionally, we sell and install new HVAC Systems from American Standard (same company as Trane), Ameristar (same company as American Standard) and Coleman HVAC (same company as York HVAC).

Al’s also provides full-service plumbing maintenance, repairs and replacements for every plumbing component in your home.  Al’s sells and installs Rheem Professional Series gas & electric water heaters, and tankless water heaters.  Al’s is near your home in Plano, TX; Allen, TX; and Frisco, TX.  We service all homes in southern Collin and Denton Counties with no additional travel charge.

Call Al’s today to discuss any concerns or problems you have with your HVAC System or Plumbing.  We’ll arrange an appointment at your convenience.

 Burst Water Pipe Flood Clean Up

Clean Up STEPS — From Beginning To End

NOTE: For The Best Results — Read Part-1 First. 

There Is A Lot Of Information In PART-1 That Is Not Repeated in PART-2.

Image Source: Shutterstock

NOTE: Burst Water Pipe Flood Damage IS Typically Covered By A Standard Homeowners Insurance Policy.

NOTE: File A Claim With Your Homeowners Insurance — And Ask If They Pay For Flood Clean Up.

NOTE: Al’s Plumbing, Heating & A/C in Plano, TX Does Not Provide Flood-Damage Cleanup Services.   

This in-depth article is provided as a service to those needing to do the clean-up themselves. 

Are You Looking For Weather-Event Flood Clean Up Advice? 

Click Here: AlsPlumbing.com Weather-Event Flood Clean-Up (Part 1 Of 2)

Are You Looking For Advice About How To Help Prevent Burst Water Pipes (due to freezing)?

Click Here: AlsPlumbing.com Prevent Frozen & Burst Water Pipes

First — Let’s Discuss Safety Precautions

You Will Need These Items To Do Burst Water Pipe Flood Cleanup

Personal-Safety Equipment

A face-mask
Protective Eyewear
Rubber Boots
Rubber Gloves
Knee Pads

Flood Cleanup Equipment

You Can Rent The Following From Rent-All Stores:

Dehumidifier (s)

Fans

Sump Pump — if water is inches deep

Wet & Dry Vacuum

Contractor-Size Trash Bags
Trash Cans
Shovel to clean up removed drywall.
Long-handled squeegee for floors.
Wide, long-handled stiff-bristle brush for floors.
Regular brooms
Lawn clean-up size & regular-sized dustpans.

Large Bucket
Chlorinate Bleach
Towels

Tools:

Utility Knife to cut drywall
Pry Bar
Hammer
Pliers
Saw

STEPS To Clean Up Burst Pipe Flood Damage

• You may need to turn off electricity until the electrical system has been inspected.
• Select A Dry Space In Your Home Or Garage — and place salvageable items there.  That way, they can dry thoroughly — and without constantly needing to be moved.

Once The Electricity Has Been Determined Safe To Use — Turn It Back On

• If the water is inches deep — rent a Sump Pump.  It removes water the quickest.   Sump pumps protect homes with basements from (basement) flooding.
• Remove remaining water with a Wet & Dry Vacuum or floor squeegee.

• If you can rent fans — get them and run 24/7.  The more air-movement — the better.
• Point fans at where the walls and floors meet.   This is where the most moisture will be — and it’s the hardest area to dry out.
• Point fans at; closets, pantry — plus other locations that are typically closed off.  Leave their doors open 24/7.

• If you can rent a dehumidifier(s) — get them and run 24/7.
• Get the largest ones they have (that run on standard wall-outlets).

Image Source: ShutterStock

SHOWN: Standard 120-Volt Electrical Outlet

NOTE: Some industrial-sized dehumidifiers may need a 240-Volt Electrical Outlet — ASK the Rent-All Store rep which power source is required.

If you have an electric clothes dryer or kitchen range — you may be able to use that outlet.

Start Ventilating & Drying Out The Home:

Use a Humidity Meter to monitor indoor moisture levels.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): “To inhibit mold growth — aim for indoor humidity between 30% and 50%“.

Heat and A/C remove indoor humidity.

Set the Heat or Air Conditioning to the maximum temperature you can tolerate — (A/C no lower than 68 or it may freeze up).

If you have the; furnace, A/C, or dehumidifiers running — Keep The Windows:

• Closed IF the Dewpoint (get that from a weather report) is higher than indoor humidity.

• Open IF the Dewpoint (from a weather report) is lower than indoor humidity.

If You Don’t Have; Heat, A/C, or Dehumidifier(s) Running:

• If you have a room that didn’t get wet — put a fan in 1 window, and blowing outdoors.  It will draw air from the wettest rooms toward the dry room, then out of the home.

• Kitchen & Bath Vents left on 24/7— turn on to the highest setting (to help remove humidity).

• Ceiling Fans left on 24/7 — turn on high and blowing downward.  This provides the most air movement at the floor — where it’s needed most.

• Other Fans left on 27/7— use every fan you own.  Set fans in the doorway of the wettest rooms to provide the most benefit.

• In wet rooms — open 1 window 3 inches.  This provides a source of fresh air — to replace air removed by vents and fans.

• The window farthest from the room’s door provides the most air movement.

• If water builds up on the windows — you dry them will bath towels.   This is important if your home has wood windows to avoid damage to them.

Burst Water Pipe Flood Clean Up — Concrete Sub-Floors

• Concrete sub-floors are ok once they are dried out.

• During the original concrete drying process — moisture created pathways inside the concrete (called capillaries).

• Excess moisture inside the concrete moves through these pathways to release the moisture.

• Since most concrete floors have a vapor-retarder below — moisture must move upwards to escape.

• After a flood — the drying process can take months.

NOTE: If you install new floor coverings over concrete that’s still too moist — the new flooring will become damaged from the moisture that’s still rising from the concrete.

Maximum Concrete Moisture Level TESTING — Prior To Installing New, Solid-Surface Floor Coverings:

• The Calcium Chloride Test, for measuring vapor-emissions from concrete, has been in use since the 1940s.

• This test provides an accurate estimate of how much moisture is being released — per 1,000 square feet of concrete slab over a 24-hour period.

• The results are expressed as pounds of moisture.  Water weighs 8.3 pounds per gallon.

• For this test — “pounds” is the weight of the water that evaporates out of a 1,000 sq. ft. surface area of concrete during 24 hours.

• Before new flooring can be installed — the amount of moisture emission must not exceed 3 pounds (of water) per 1000 sq. ft. per 24 hours.

• For a more detailed explanation — see link just below. **

• Lastly, check the flooring manufacturer’s specs to find the acceptable moisture-level for the specific floor covering you’re installing.

** Source: https://www.moisturemeters.com/why-flooring-professionals-must-always-test-for-excessive-moisture-and-alkalinity/

*** Souce: https://www.concretenetwork.com/curing-concrete/

*** Source: https://www.dcpu1.com/blog/how-long-does-concrete-take-to-dry/

** Source: https://www.concretemoisture.com/installers/8-truths-about-concrete-moisture/

With A “CLEAN WATER” Flood — If You Have Carpet

TIP: Before doing all this work — check with your Homeowners Insurance to see if they cover burst water pipe flood damage.  And if they do, ask if they pay for new carpet and pad.

IF Your HO Insurance Doesn’t Cover Burst Water Pipe Flood Damage:

• It’s likely possible to reuse the carpet (not the pad).  This depends on How OLD & How Clean IT was before the flood.  It the carpet needed to be replaced before the flood — don’t waste all the effort to salvage it.

• Rent a “Rug Doctor” (or any brand of rental “Hot Water Extraction” carpet cleaning machine).

• Don’t add water to the machine — its only purpose (after a flood) is to extract water.

• Run the machine VERY SLOWLY — North to South -AND THEN- East to West.

• If you can add weight to the top of the machine — it will be more effective (though harder to push).

• Once you have performed these steps —  remove the carpet, take it to a dry space, and unroll it to finish drying.   Two days later — flip the carpet over to ensure complete drying.

• Then remove and discard the pad.

• It’s likely possible to reuse the carpet (not the pad).  This depends on How OLD & How Clean IT was before the flood.  It the carpet needed to be replaced before the flood — don’t waste all the effort to salvage it.

Note: In the pad — dust, pet dander, and other particulates have accumulated.  With these contaminants present — you can’t get the pad dry enough to ensure that mold won’t grow.

Burst Water Pipe Flood Clean Up — Wood Sub-Floors

• Perform the steps above for salvaging the carpet.

• Remove and discard the pad.  This allows wood sub-floors to dry more quickly and thoroughly.

• Wood sub-floor surface-materials (plywood, particle-board, and Oriented Strand-Bboard (OSB) — often soak up water and self-destruct.

Click Here To See Water-Damaged Particle-Board Sub-Floor: Water-Damaged Particle Board

Click Here To See Water-Damaged OSB Sub-Floor: Water Damaged Oriented Strand Board (OSB)

Click Here To See Water-Damage Plywood: Water Damaged Plywood

• If sub-floors look; swelled up, warped, or buckled — they likely need replaced.   This refers to the sub-floor material at the surface — not the framing lumber it’s nailed to.  Framing lumber can be cleaned and refused.
• Of only a few pieces of sub-floor are water-damaged — you likely don’t need to replace the room’s entire sub-floor.    It’s ok to replace only what shows warping or other forms of water-damage.

NOTE: Because it’s BOTH nailed/screwed AND glued — Removing Wood Sub-Floor Is A Monumental Task.  If this is more than you can do — call a contractor to do it.

Before Installing Hard-Surface Floor Coverings.  

Wood Sub-Floors’ Moisture Must Be 15% Or Less.  Hard-Surface flooring is anything other than carpet. 

• Check the flooring manufacturer’s specs to find the acceptable moisture-level for a specific floor covering.

• Your Wood Moisture-Meter will advise when restoration can begin.

Solid Wood Furnishings

• Solid wood can typically be reused once completely dry.
• Wash wood clean, then disinfect it.
• Some wood may warp and crack after being soaked with water.
• Small cracks can often be filled with colored wood-putty.

Particleboard And Laminated Wood Flooring or Furnishings

• These materials typically soak up water and self-destruct.

• If it looks swelled up, or its shape is distorted — it must be replaced.

Selling Your Home ? Texas Requires You To Disclose If Your Home Has Flooded

Question #7  On A SELLER’S DISCLOSURE NOTICE  — As Approved By The Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC)
“7. Have you (Seller) ever filed a claim for flood damage to the property with any insurance provider, including the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)?”

This is PART 2 (of 2) discussed Burst Water Pipe Home Flood Clean Up STEPS — from beginning to end.  Al’s Plumbing, Heating & A/C in Plano, Texas provides maintenance & repairs for all brands of Central A/C, Gas & Electric Furnace, and Heat Pumps.    Additionally, we sell and install new HVAC Systems from American Standard (same company as Trane), Ameristar (same company as American Standard) and Coleman HVAC (same company as York HVAC).

Al’s also provides full-service plumbing maintenance, repairs and replacements for every plumbing component in your home.  Al’s sells and installs Rheem Professional Series gas & electric water heaters, and tankless water heaters.  Al’s is near your home in Plano, TX; Allen, TX; and Frisco, TX.  We service all homes in southern Collin and Denton Counties with no additional travel charge.

Call Al’s today to discuss any concerns or problems you have with your HVAC System or Plumbing.  We’ll arrange an appointment at your convenience.