Floods, hurricanes, and other natural disasters can turn your home into an extremely hazardous place. Emergency cleaning services should always be performed by professionals with the proper experience and tools, as attempting cleanups yourself can easily increase your risk of illness and injury. Learn why biohazard cleanup, mold remediation, and similar jobs never fall into the DIY category.

The Top Dangers of DIY Emergency Cleaning Services After a Disaster

1. Floodwater Bacteria

Floodwater typically contains innumerable contaminants, such as raw sewage, industrial waste, and agricultural waste and pesticides. Exposure to floodwater through ingestion or open wounds can mean contracting a variety of diseases and parasites, including E. coli, hepatitis B and C, and the norovirus.

2. Mold

Severe mold infestations from water damage pose serious health risks, especially with toxic black mold. Chronic coughing and sneezing, headaches, fatigue, rashes, eye, nose, and throat irritation, and nausea/vomiting are some of the many complications stemming from mold exposure.

3. Electrical Hazards

Hurricanes and other violent storms knock down electrical components within your house or cause other objects to fall on them. Live wires and other electrical equipment in standing water are serious electrocution hazards since water is a conduit.

4. Carbon Monoxide

Use of generators, power washers, and propane, natural gas, and gasoline-burning devices within the home after a natural disaster exposes you to carbon monoxide. Poisoning dangers from this odorless gas heighten when the house is completely sealed off, resulting in serious illness and even death.

5. Structural Damage

High winds and torrential rains cause trees to fall on houses among other serious structural problems. Entering your home without knowing what kind of structural damage your house has sustained increases your risk of injury, especially if the power is out.

Let the storm damage restoration team at SERVPRO of Greater St. Augustine / St. Augustine Beach in Florida take care of your home after a natural disaster. Their emergency cleaning services include evaluating the damage and creating customized solutions to ensure your house is safe for re-entry. Commercial restoration services are also available from these WRT-certified, fully-equipped technicians. Call (904) 429-4457 today to schedule an appointment or learn more about emergency cleaning services online. Like the Facebook page for additional health and home improvement tips.