Though most household water damage in Austin is caused by the occasional leaking pipe, the most serious water damage was caused by natural disasters like hurricanes or climate change. Despite natural disasters being rarer than a leaky faucet, they require the most amount of water damage restoration.
In this article, we’re going to look at the 3 biggest disasters in water damage restoration history. These instances show just how advanced water damage restoration is and gives us advice about how we should target water damage in our homes, even minor water damage.
1. Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina has been one of the worst hurricanes in history. The hurricane destroyed coastlines along Mississippi and Louisiana. New Orleans was especially hit by the hurricane. It caused thousands of people not only to evacuate their homes, but it created severe water damage that required restoration, if not total new house building.
If you were in the country at the time, chances are you have heard about Hurricane Katrina and remember newsreels of flooded cities and helicopters looking for survivors. Something you might not be as aware about, however, is the water damage restoration that followed.
Just as doctors, volunteers, and government officials flew to the site to help with cleanup, so too did water damage restoration workers. These workers quietly but fiercely came to repair homes and buildings so that they could be used again.
Water damage caused by Hurricane Katrina was so severe that water damage restoration took years to accomplish. Things like general cleanup, structural integrity testing, repairs, and mold elimination forced water damage restoration workers to work endlessly for months.
Years later, New Orleans and other affected cities have recovered from Hurricane Katrina for the most part. That’s thanks to tireless workers like those who restored buildings. Without those workers, people and companies would not have been able to return home post flood.
2. St. Mark’s Basilica
Saint Mark’s Basilica is one of the most beautiful pieces of architecture in the world. Located in Venice, which finds itself in a saltwater lagoon of islands, Saint Mark’s Basilica has seen its fair share of flooding and water damage issues.
Because of its location, many experts and professionals have worked endlessly to protect the building. However, their job is getting more and more difficult since climate change is causing sea levels to rise. The rising sea levels make flooding more and more likely in Venice.
In 2019, Venice experienced its second highest flood on record. The flood was so severe that the crypt underneath Saint Mark’s Basilica was flooded. This has only happened one other time in history. Since the basilica is filled with marble mosaics and other valuable items, people were eager to protect the structure and prevent further flooding.
Saint Mark’s Basilica was then targeted with a lot of water damage restoration. Professionals worked tirelessly to remove the immediate water threat. They continued working so that they did not just remove the water but protect the structure for the future as well.
Because of the difficult location of Saint Mark’s Basilica, the water damage restoration is expected to take place over the next five years. Experts hope that the restoration will preserve the structural integrity of the basilica despite its swampy location.
3. Hurricane Sandy
Another really serious hurricane was Hurricane Sandy. Hurricane Sandy hit Liberty Island and destroyed much of the landscape. This hurricane was so severe that it flooded every single basement on Liberty Island, with the exception of the Statue of Liberty.
Interestingly, the Statue of Liberty was not harmed at all by the hurricane. Nevertheless, Hurricane Sandy put 75% of the island underwater. Needless to say, it caused a lot of damage, and it required big effort on part of water damage restoration services.
Water damage restoration professionals quickly came to the scene. These professionals, along with cleanup crews and volunteers, worked to clean up the island and remove the excess water. This obviously removed the immediate issue of excess water.
Still, water damage remained, even after the initial clean up. Water damage restoration professionals continued to restore the island and its buildings as quickly as they could. Shockingly, the teams were able to restore the island very close to its original condition.
What do these events teach us?
Since Austin is landlocked, many of the dangers described in the three biggest disasters aren’t much of an issue. Still, these disasters can teach us a lot about the power and education of water damage restoration services.
Since these services were able to clean up locations as devastated as New Orleans and Venice, it is no shock that they will be able to help your home in Texas.
Something else that these events teach us is the importance of timing. Had these services not been so proactive in their cleanup & dry wall repairs, mold and other structural issues could have a curd within the buildings and cities. This would have elongated the restoration process and devastated the community even more.
Final Thoughts
Water damage is risky business, especially if it is caused by something as severe as hurricanes or climate change. Despite the incredible disasters of Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Sandy, and rising sea waters in Venice, water damage restoration services were able to tackle the issue and restore the cities once again.
If your home needs water damage restoration, call Quick Dry Restoration.
