Cleaning Chaos After Weekend Flood

Updated: Monday, July 14 2014, 10:50 PM CDT CHAMPAIGN -- "Water came in through the floor drains and flooded our basement," homeowner Shelly Stearns said about this weekend's flood.

Luckily for Stearns' family much of their furniture sits on blocks, so it wasn't damaged. But her carpet, linoleum floor and a cabinet weren't as lucky. Days after the storm, she called a cleaning company to disinfect her basement.

"And it's just really important for people to hire reputable companies that can come in and make sure that one: it's safe, you don't want to get hurt; and two: it's clean especially with the sewer back-up that have happened," Dave McGuire, owner of ServPro Cleaning and Restoration Company said.

More than 400 service calls have kicked servpro crews into high-gear. So much so, owners had to call for back-up from offices in six other cities.

"Well we've got all hands on deck," McGuire said.

State climatologist Jim Angel says between four and six inches of rain fell in Champaign over the weekend. He says that much rain in two days isn't normal and could cause future problems.

"Any amount of rain after this, we're gonna have more than the usual flooding, so even if we get one or two inch rainfalls it could cause some problems at this point," Angel said.

For now, 20 fans are running non-stop to dry Stearn's basement. It's something she says she doesn't want again and already has a plan to prevent it.

"We would like to put down a water proof flooring instead and then create some large area rugs. So that, if it happens again, we can roll it out and take it out easily," Stearns said.Cleaning Chaos After Weekend Flood

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Cleaning Chaos After Weekend Flood