Bayou flooding leaves muddy gritty sediment carrying pathogens, petroleum, and industrial residues. PPE-discipline removal, pressure washing, HEPA vacuuming, antimicrobial treatment.
Houston bayou flooding leaves more than water. Brays, Buffalo, White Oak, Sims, Cypress, and other bayous carry suspended sediment that settles into homes as muddy, gritty residue. Hurricane Harvey deposited an estimated 1.5 million cubic yards of bayou silt into Houston structures. Coastal flooding (Galveston, Clear Lake) brings saline mud that corrodes electronics and metal long after drying.
Bayou crest reached structure briefly. Surface mud only. Removal: 1-2 days. Typical cost: $4,000-$8,000.
Sustained inundation 4-12 hours. Lower drywall, baseboards, lower cabinets all coated. Removal: 3-5 days. Typical cost: $12,000-$25,000.
Major bayou or hurricane flood. Floor-to-mid-wall mud, contents loss, full Cat 3 protocols. Removal: 7-14 days. Typical cost: $30,000-$80,000+.
Shoveling, wheelbarrowing, and bucket-line removal of bulk mud. PPE-discipline (Tyvek, gloves, respirators) for bayou-contaminated sediment.
Truck-mounted extractors pull thin-layer wet mud and slurry from carpet, hardwood, tile grout, and crevices.
Hard-surface pressure washing with EPA-registered disinfectants. Concrete slabs, tile, masonry, exterior cladding.
Dry vacuum with HEPA filtration for residual fine silt in baseboards, electrical boxes, HVAC ducts.
EPA hospital-grade disinfectant applied to all affected surfaces. Bayou mud carries E. coli, fecal coliform, and other pathogens.
Pre- and post-removal photography, ATP testing where applicable, written compliance log for insurance claim.