As a top water damage restoration company in Surrey, we spend most of our time cleaning up the damage caused by floods and other natural disasters.  However, sometimes we also have to clean up misinformation.  There are a lot of incorrect ideas, misconceptions, and outright false myths about home flooding out there, and we’d like to clear a few of them up.

These are some of the false ideas we hear most commonly when talking to customers.

Debunking Common Misconceptions About Home Flooding

1. “Home flooding is rare.” – FALSE

Many people think that they don’t have to worry about home flooding because it doesn’t happen very often.  Actually, across North America, 90% of natural disasters include some flooding element!  Billions of dollars are paid out by insurance companies every year for flood/water damage – and presumably, billions more were lost by property-owners who didn’t pay for flood insurance.

Even house fires ultimately end in flooding, if the Fire Department does their job.

2. “My home is on high ground, so it’s safe.”  -FALSE

Another related misconception is the idea that a home on high ground cannot become flooded.  While it’s certainly true that a building in low-lying areas is at a higher risk of flooding, a water-related emergency can truly happen to anyone, at any elevation.

A sufficiently bad storm could flood any home, not to mention the possibility of plumbing problems.  If your water main bursts in your basement, it certainly doesn’t matter if your house is on a hill.  You’ll be flooded anyway.

3. “If my home floods, I can just let it air out to dry.”  -FALSE

Many people assume that the damage done by flooding is surface level.  If the house looks dry, everything is fine, right? Not at all. Floodwaters will make their way inside elements of the house – the flooring, the drywall, and anything else which is capable of being saturated.

This actually leads to the worst aspect of home flooding: mold and mildew.  Dangerous growths can begin within 24 hours of the flooding.  A home with a serious mold infestation can be a true health hazard or even lead to the building being condemned.  A flooded home must be thoroughly dried by professionals to be safe!

Malkin Cleaners has been a top water damage restoration company in Surrey for almost a century.  If you ever experience a flood, don’t wait.  Contact our team to restore your home.