How to Handle Flood Damage and Where to Seek Help in Selecting Waterproofing Materials?

Water is both life-giving and highly destructive. When a flood invades interiors, the immediate effects can be devastating. However, once the water recedes, a critical question arises: how to effectively repair the damage and find the right materials to protect the building from future threats?

This article outlines three essential steps to restore your property after a flood and offers guidance on ensuring proper waterproofing. This way, you can not only rebuild your home but also secure it for years to come.

Safety First – Post-Flood Priority

Before beginning any repair work, assessing the building’s safety is crucial. Floodwater often carries various contaminants, including chemicals, fecal bacteria, and sewage content. Therefore, flooded buildings should be treated as contaminated spaces. Entering them without proper personal protective equipment, such as gloves, waterproof boots, and masks, poses a serious health risk.

Steps for Cleaning Up a Building After a Flood

Cleaning, Disinfecting, and Drying After a Flood

1. Initial Cleanup
   The first step is to remove water and debris from the affected areas as quickly as possible. Floodwater often leaves behind mud, sludge, and organic residues, which create an ideal environment for bacteria and mold growth. Thorough cleaning of walls and floors is essential. This process also involves removing damaged plaster and other building materials that have lost their functionality.
2. Disinfection
   After cleaning, the next step is disinfection, which involves washing walls and floors with a disinfectant solution. It’s crucial to handle these solutions with care, using protective gloves, eyewear, and masks to avoid skin, eye, or respiratory irritation. Disinfection significantly reduces the risk of pathogens and bacteria that may remain after flooding.
3. Drying the Building
   Drying is one of the most critical yet challenging stages of post-flood recovery. This process often requires advanced equipment, making it advisable to hire specialized companies. Before starting the drying process, remove all damaged items, such as flooring, panels, or paint, that have been compromised due to moisture.Drying may take several days to weeks, depending on the extent of the flooding and the materials used in the building. Proper ventilation is crucial during this process. Additionally, ensure the building has a reliable power supply to run dehumidifiers and other necessary equipment effectively.

Where to Seek Help for Choosing Insulation Materials

Selecting the right materials for waterproofing is essential to protect your building from future water-related risks. It’s highly recommended to consult with experts who can guide you in choosing the most suitable solutions tailored to your building's specific needs and the local geological conditions.

Remember, a flood doesn’t have to mark the end of your building’s functionality. With proper repair actions and the use of modern technologies, you can effectively restore it to its original state or even enhance its resilience against future threats.

How to Protect a Building: Which Materials to Choose for Waterproofing?

After drying out the building, it’s essential to ensure proper waterproofing to safeguard it from future floods and moisture issues. Here's what you need to consider:

Horizontal and Vertical Foundation Insulation

Selecting the right materials for foundation waterproofing is crucial for the building's durability and its resistance to water. It’s not just about executing the insulation properly – the materials used must also be suitable for the soil conditions surrounding the building.

A common mistake is opting for the cheapest products, which may not provide adequate protection. Such decisions can be costly, as repairing damaged waterproofing later, when access to the foundations becomes limited, incurs significantly higher expenses than investing in durable solutions upfront.

It’s advisable to use modern materials such as:

• Bituminous coatings
• Mineral sealing slurries
• Innovative hybrids

These materials effectively protect buildings from water infiltration and are easy to apply, ensuring long-term performance and reliability.

Internal Waterproofing of the Building

Internal waterproofing is an effective method of protecting the interior from moisture and groundwater, especially in older buildings. This type of insulation effectively prevents dampness, mold growth, and improves the comfort and durability of the structure, particularly in underground spaces such as basements.

Consider using mineral waterproofing systems and mineral plasters, which allow walls to "breathe" and prevent moisture buildup. High vapor-permeable plasters are especially recommended for buildings that have experienced flooding, where drying out the walls is essential.

BOSTIK BLOCK C750 FLEX - ELASTYCZNA ZAPRAWA HYDROIZOLACYJNA

Wall Injection

Wall injection is an effective waterproofing method used when external foundation insulation is impossible or economically unfeasible. This process involves introducing specialized substances (injection material) into the building structure through pre-drilled holes. Injection primarily serves to seal walls, eliminate leaks and moisture, and repair structural damage.

This solution is ideal for residential, industrial, and historic buildings where precise and non-invasive intervention is required. The choice of appropriate injection material depends on the specific characteristics and materials of the wall. Therefore, it is essential to consult experienced professionals who can tailor the technology to the building's particular conditions.

BOSTIK BLOCK A575 HYDRO LIQUID (Kiesey Horizontalstopp)

HERTALAN EPDM Easy Cover (1,4/2,1/2,8/3,5/4,2m)