Homeowners begin the process of drying out and cleaning up

CLAY COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI)- Rivers and creeks are returning to their banks, but they’ve left behind water-logged homes and water-weary homeowners.

Many people affected by the recent floods are still in shock, but with some help, they are pushing through and starting the process of drying out and cleaning up.

“We love the river we love being out here, so I think will be going back to normal,” said Cindy Wamble.

The flood waters are receding, and they’re leaving behind homes in need of serious repair.

Thursday homeowners are surveying the damage and beginning the clean-up.

“We have some professionals here today cleaning. They’re going to turn it around within a day or two, so it’ll be good, and we had our own people and some help from her students at Heritage Academy that moved a lot of the heavy furniture out yesterday, so that was a big help. A couple days we should be back in a good,” said Jim Wamble.

The process begins with removing any material that can hold water, to stop mold in its tracks.

“We started out with just like the carpet and removing that. We saw there was also kind of some tile under there too. So, we’re gonna go ahead, the homeowners request, we’re gonna go ahead and just remove that too, and then after that we’re going to go ahead, and we do something that’s like a flood cut, and it’s basically anything that is under where the water level is, and sometimes even higher than that, we will go ahead and just rip it all out just because it’s all been contaminated,” said Jace Caldwell.

When flood waters invade a house contamination becomes a major concern not just for the home but for the people cleaning it.

“You don’t know what comes from these rivers. You don’t know what’s been put in it, so we just go ahead and take all kind of safety precautions, and just go ahead and strap up in full PPE. Whether that’s boots and as you saw masks and then these suits as well just to keep us safe in case we’re working on something,” said Caldwell.

And if you have an older home, the threat of hazards is even greater.

“If the house was built before 78, you need to be concerned with lead-based paint and asbestos, and so just be knowledgeable before you go in and start tearing stuff out of the home. What year it was built in? Ensuring that if there is lead-based paint you’re dealing with that appropriately, and if you run into asbestos, whether it’s in tile or insulation or anything like that, that you know how to deal with asbestos. Have a professional do that obviously,” said Abby Thompson.

Thompson says it is also essential to sanitize the home after everything is removed to prevent mold.

After that, you need to let everything thoroughly dry.

If you are going to be doing it yourself buy a moisture meter because even if something looks dry, it might not be.