How to Remove Moisture After a Flood

Moisture in and around your home can lead to musty odors, mold, corrosion and rust. Removing moisture is an important step in the flood recovery process.

What Should I Do After a Flood?

Opening windows and doors – if weather permits – is a good first step in the flood recovery process, the CDC says. Once you’ve removed standing water and taken other initial precautions, fans and humidifiers can help remove additional moisture. Be sure to place them at doors and windows with the air blowing out to avoid spreading moisture or mold inside.

Your heating or air conditioning can also help dry up moisture, but it’s important to have the system professionally inspected and cleaned before you turn it on after a flood, according to the CDC. This will help ensure there’s no mold in the system that could be spread throughout your home.

How to Absorb Moisture

After you’ve aired out your home, it’s important to absorb any remaining moisture. If you have a damp basement, crawl space or garage, Concrobium Moisture Grabbers can help. Each pouch expands as it absorbs moisture. Available in three sizes, for Moisture Grabbers are ideal after a flood as well as for ongoing maintenance in large and small spaces prone to dampness.

How to Prevent Future Moisture

While you can’t predict or prevent a flood, there are some steps you can take to help prevent moisture from entering your home.

Make sure rainwater from the roof and gutters drains away from your home, advises the CDC. Inspect the ground around the perimeter of your home to make sure it slopes away from your house. This helps prevent rainwater from entering your crawl space or basement. It’s also important to make sure those spaces have good drainage.

If your crawlspace has a dirt floor, cover it in plastic to help prevent ground moisture from entering the space, suggests the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

And, FEMA adds, if you have a leaky pipe or dampness around a sink or bathtub, be sure to get it fixed.

Rain and floodwater can lead to unwelcome moisture. But, with the right tools and preparation, you’ll be better armed to remove the dampness from your space.