2021 Devastating Flood Causes Severe Water Damage but Leads to Exciting Discovery: Part 1

Princeton, British Columbia, was ravaged by devastating flood waters from the Tulameen River on Sunday, November 14, 2021. The unexpected natural disaster came on suddenly, leaving mere minutes for residents to evacuate. Though many of these people abandoned their homes and all of their belongings; some were fortunate to return to minimal damage affecting only their basement, while others found the water damage overwhelming.

As soon as we heard what happened to our neighbors, we knew we needed to help. When the roads were clear and it was safe to drive, we loaded up the truck and drove the two hours to Princeton. We began working with a local property manager once we arrived; she had four properties in need of restoration work. We have been approached by many more residents seeking assistance throughout the course of our work.

PuroClean Kelowna Helps Retired Teacher with Water Damage from Devastating Flood

Initially, a retired teacher was one Princeton local who approached us for help. The devastating flood caused severe water damage to her 116-year-old home. The home is located in Princeton right along the banks of the Tulameen River. However, though this picturesque location is one reason the property is so appealing, it also caused a lot of problems for the homeowner. Because of the havoc, she was forced to temporarily relocate a couple of hours north to her daughter and her family’s home.

The woman needed a restoration company that would be careful and meticulous to not cause further damage to the historic home built in 1906. We hoped to get started immediately to salvage what we could, but a couple of issues, including waiting for asbestos testing and having no water or power at the home, delayed things a little.

Homeowner Floored by Treasure Discovered in Difficult Situation

Fortunately, although this whole experience was far from enjoyable for the homeowner, there was one treasure that might have never been discovered without this need for water damage restoration. Our discovery was made after we became concerned about water getting trapped underneath the vinyl tiles in the kitchen during the work. As a result, we decided to remove the tiles and found a linoleum floor on top of a plywood subfloor. Then, to our surprise, under that, we found the 116-year-old original hardwood floors!

Of course, this was a surprise to us but an even bigger surprise for the homeowner. Several years ago, renovations were completed in the kitchen and chef’s kitchen. Then, she was informed there were no original floors. Thus, she was absolutely ‘floored’ to find what was there the entire time.

Finding the original hardwood floors was a bright spot in an otherwise difficult situation. So, it gave everyone involved a glimmer of hope. However, it also meant our team had to rise up, going over and above the task of restoring the house to pre-loss condition.

The initial emergency response took two weeks to complete. We are currently working with a hardwood flooring expert to restore the kitchen and chef’s kitchen floors; the goal is to have the original flooring visible throughout the main floor. Check back for a follow-up to see the completion of this project!

PuroClean of Kelowna Continues to Help those Affected by Princeton’s Devastating Flood

The PuroClean of Kelowna team continues to assist our neighbors in Princeton with water damage restoration. Currently, we have been in the area, assisting as many families as time and supplies have allowed, since November. We will not leave until our work is completed. If you need assistance with water restoration from a flood or other issue, our crew has you covered. Give us a call 24/7 at (250) 980-2353