Kosciusko, MS Water Damage Repair and Flood Cleanup

Kosciusko grew up around a spring and an inn on the old Natchez Trace, and its courthouse square still marks the spot. The Yockanookany River runs past the city on its way southwest to the Pearl, and Attala County averages about 62.5 inches of rain a year. Add hard freezes that have dipped well below zero in the record books, and a home here can get wet from a rising creek, a storm-torn roof or a split pipe in the same year.

As a referral service, The Restoration Job passes your call to an outside company rather than sending anyone of its own. Call (888) 317-9980 and we'll connect you with a provider serving Kosciusko and the surrounding county, many of which take emergency calls for active water.

Living Downstream on the Yockanookany

The Yockanookany rises near Ackerman in Choctaw County and flows about 78 miles through Attala and Leake counties, passing Weir, McCool and Ethel before it reaches Kosciusko. The U.S. Geological Survey keeps a gauge on the river at Kosciusko. Early in the twentieth century the channel was straightened, and in the decades that followed it filled with silt; by 1960, low-water levels at the Kosciusko gauge were about six feet higher than they had been in 1939. A shallower channel has less room for a heavy rain, which is one reason bottomland along the river floods readily.

For property near the river or its feeder creeks, check the FEMA flood map and look at your insurance. River and creek water is flood damage, covered by a separate flood policy, not by homeowners insurance.

What Flood Cleanup Involves After River Water Gets Inside

River water carries soil, fuel, farm runoff and sewage, so it should be treated as contaminated even if it looks clear. A typical flood cleanup in a house that took on a few inches will include:

• Pumping out standing water and removing mud.
• Cutting out drywall above the water line and pulling wet insulation.
• Discarding carpet, pad and upholstered items that were soaked.
• Cleaning and disinfecting framing, slab or subfloor.
• Drying with dehumidifiers and air movers until moisture readings are back to normal, then rebuilding.

Photograph the water line and damaged items before anything is thrown out, and keep a list for your adjuster.

Tornado Season Across Attala County

Central Mississippi sees strong storms in spring, and Attala County has been under the threat more than once. On April 24, 2010, the EF4 tornado that devastated Yazoo City continued northeast into Attala County, and the National Weather Service issued a tornado emergency for the county. Most damage in town comes from smaller events: straight-line winds, falling trees and hail that leave roofs leaking. Cover roof openings quickly, keep wet ceilings from collapsing on people, and book storm damage cleanup before the next round of rain.

Hard Freezes and Burst Pipes

Winters here are usually mild, but Kosciusko's record low is 14 below zero, and an arctic blast every few years is enough to freeze pipes in exterior walls, crawl spaces and unheated utility rooms. A frozen pipe often does not leak until it thaws. Know where your main shutoff is, drip faucets on the coldest nights, and open cabinet doors on outside walls. If a line does burst, turn off the water, then check the crawl space, since much of the water may have gone below the floor.

Rainfall, Humidity and Mold

With more than five feet of rain a year and muggy summers, building materials in Attala County stay damp easily. Wet drywall, subfloor and insulation that are not dried quickly will grow mold, often within a couple of days in warm weather. Drying should be measured with meters, not judged by touch. If you can smell mustiness or see spotting after a leak, ask a provider about mold remediation and about finding and stopping the source of the moisture.