What to Expect After the Unexpected
Managing the repair process after a tragedy begins with a solid understanding of building science.
Nature happens. And sometimes it happens hard.
Long Islanders don’t need to think back to the 1938 hurricane to realize the vulnerability of our island—Hurricane Irene this past August brought the area floods, evacuations and power outages.
Thankfully, hurricanes are fairly predictable, tornadoes are not very common and earthquakes a rarity. Ultimately, we live in an area that while not immune from natural disasters, has learned to cope from the reality that one day our most valuable asset—our home—may indeed be compromised.
But the hard truth is that nature is not the only culprit that can damage or destroy our property. Water main breaks, electrical fires and even mold and mildew can be cause to leave a home until a major renovation takes place. And what has been learned from the repair of homes damaged from natural forces most usually can be applied to negligence and man-made problems, especially water damage.
Learning from the misfortunes of others can help you understand what to expect, and who to call, should a disaster strike.
Robert Didier, a project manager for Hauppauge-based Irwin Contracting, Inc., says the key to any repair is to get started right away. But acccording to this local expert who is also president of the NYC/LI chapter of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI), many people miss the most important first step.
“Delay making permanent repairs until the building is thoroughly dry, which may take several weeks,” says Didier. Then, start not with the floor, but under it. “Layers of submerged subfloors will probably separate, and these sections must be replaced to keep the floor covering from buckling.” Adequately drying the subfloor could take as long as several months, so you might consider replacing it with a new layer of plywood or sheathing material.
To accelerate drying, Didier suggests opening windows and doors for ventilation, and using fans to maintain air circulation. “Use air conditioning to remove moisture,” he says, “and turn on electric lights in closets and leave the door open. Leave the lights on as long as there is dampness or high humidity.
“While tile or sheet vinyl may survive floodwater, any soaked wood subflooring will need to be dried and probably replaced. Even with an impermeable subfloor, you may still need to remove tile or vinyl for adequate clean-up and repairs. Didier says that if it’s possible to remove the floor covering without damaging it, then do so in order to speed up drying. “If water has seeped under lose sections of sheet flooring, the entire sheet should be removed,” he says.
Lastly, after a bad storm passes, the challenge for an affected homeowner is to recover and www.irwincontractinginc.com
Read this next article about Home Remodeling on Long Island
