Preparing For Hurricane Irma Surprises In Your South Miami Winter Home

10/12/2017 (Permalink)

Hurricane Irma--First Evacuation in South Miami, then for Cleanup Call SERVPRO

Rely on SERVPRO for Cleanup and Sanitation After Hurricane Irma

Every year you look forward to returning to the balmy breezes and temperate climate that appealed to you when buying your second home. Now that there is a serious chill in the air up north it is time to plan your trip back to South East Florida. This fall, however, you are plagued with concerns about how well your South Miami winter dwelling held up to the challenges of Hurricane Irma. You need a professional partner in your Sunshine State community to help you assess and remedy any harm this severe weather event visited on your holiday home.
 
The strong winds and torrential rains that swept through Florida and the South Miami area when Irma approached and then made landfall could have caused significant adverse impacts upon your beloved winter home. Any part of your detached house, condo, or townhome with even a slight imperfection was highly likely to allow water to take advantage of the weakness and invade. Older windows, perhaps casually maintained, commonly fail to hold back the force of a hurricane strength wind, the result being significant quantities of water forcing its way into your vacation haven.
 
Water is a tremendously destructive force, and when it saturates commonly used building materials, fixtures, and decor, an extensive list of destructive consequences follow. Window sills soak up the water and swell, warping and twisting, making it impossible to open and close the windows again properly. Blinds and draperies become waterlogged and stained, the materials decomposing into ruin. Floors and walls nearby also take the brunt of the water, bulging and buckling. Carpets experience delimitation, where the fibers permanently pull away from the backing, destroying the floor covering.
 
Perhaps the most devastating after effect of water incursion is mold damage. When water damage goes unabated for 24 to 48 hours the likelihood of microbial activation and proliferation is exceptionally high. Mold spores are present at all times in your Florida home, but without a source of moisture they simply collect on surfaces and float through the air. Water forced into your Florida dwelling by the cataclysmic winds of Irma can be the catalyst for mold damage in all areas of your property. Failed electrical power can also dramatically increase the RH relative humidity within your unit.
 
Be prepared for the probability that wind-driven moisture made its way into your Florida home. Engage the services of a reputable storm damage recovery company like SERVPRO of South Miami to assess the harm and devise a comprehensive plan to restore the destruction as soon as you make your back to your winter hideaway, or even before your return. (305) 269-8900

More information about hurricane from your local gov't here.