SERVPRO Acts Fast To Save Your Furnishings After Flood Damage

8/5/2020 (Permalink)

No matter where you live, you should not ever think that you are completely safe from flooding. Even in Oak Lawn, heavy rains can cause area floodwaters that can enter your home and uproot your daily life. It can happen fast like in the case of flash floods or give you more warning as waters in the area slowly rise before overflowing their banks.

No matter how the floodwaters came into your home in Oak Lawn, the flood damage left in their wake can be devastating. The longer the water sits in your home, however, the more damage is done. Knowing whom to call ahead of time in a disaster like this is essential in salvaging your home. Our staff at SERVPRO are ready to help you anytime you need us.

One thing that is likely affected in your home from the flooding is upholstered furniture. Several problems happen when water affects upholstery. Framing is made of wood and is subject to swelling and cracking. The framing joints weaken from this, plus water can cause glues to break down, creating damage to the furniture.

If the fabric is dry-clean-only, spotting from the water can occur. The whole piece of furniture may need wetting to avoid water lines. Often, dust covers on furniture also bleed when wet, and if it sags, it can stain your flooring or carpeting. Upholstered buttons have metal backs that rust and also cause staining. SERVPRO staff can follow spot removal procedures in these cases. We also keep in mind that wooden furniture legs can stain carpeting and that once dry, the stains are almost impossible to remove, so we attempt to clean the stains while it is wet.

Mold growth can also be an issue, so we use dehumidifiers and air movers to dry everything rapidly. The furniture stains are all treated first, and we also wet the whole piece if needed. Furniture is extracted with the right extractor and an upholstery tool, and zippers and buttons are dried to avoid rust. We put wax paper between the zipper and cushion to prevent the transfer of rust, and furniture pads around metal buttons. We also tent cushions and place air movers and dehumidifiers as we need to.

SERVPRO of Oak Lawn carefully dries out your furniture when your home floods so that everything possible is salvaged.  Call us right away at (708) 239-1444 when you experience flooding so we can help you avoid additional damage.