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Rain + high tides = flooding. The Southeast has been inundated with storms for last three months. A combination of rain and high tide means driving in high waters and vehicles flooded parked. The most important thing is to not panic and do not attempt to start the vehicle. Rather, it needs to be towed to an expert shop to be diagnosed properly. Living by ocean, the flood damage could be seawater or fresh water. Whether it is from a flooding rainstorm or a Hurricane, diagnosing water damage can be tricky. Most importantly, owners should never attempt to start or drive a flooded vehicle until it has been thoroughly inspected to diagnosis the water damage. According to MARATHON Collision’s general manager, Robert Sadeghian, there is a big difference between seawater water damage and fresh water damage. “Seawater has a very high salt content which speeds up the rust and corrosion process. It is aggressive and causes much greater damage and has long-term implications versus fresh water.” On the other hand, mud, silt and other material carried by fresh water can be difficult to remove and can potentially cause a repair to be more difficult. However, it can be properly repaired.A vehicle is considered a total loss when the repair costs exceed the vehicle’s actual cash value. In order for a vehicle to be deemed a ‘total loss’ after being flooded with fresh water, the water level has to have reached all the way to the dashboard. For Seawater, that level needs to reach only as high as the rocker panel (the area beneath the door). And, if any amount of salt water is introduced to the passenger compartment, the vehicle will be deemed a total loss. In the case of fresh water, if the vehicle isn’t properly diagnosed and cleaned up immediately, it could face mold growth and electrical problems.
“Coastal areas regularly suffer from tropical storms, especially during hurricane season. These storms fuel rounds of heavy rain that causes major flooding in low lying areas. It is essential to know experts who can diagnose both types of water damage due to this localized flooding,” said Sadeghian. All this being said, damage is not immediate. A vehicle that has been flooded will often look perfectly fine once the water is removed and the vehicle has dried out. “Don’t be fooled. Water can wreak havoc on your car’s electrical and mechanical systems.” So be safe and get a professional to diagnose the vehicle’s water damage.
Marathon Collision, Marathon Auto Service, and Marathon Recycled Parts are all divisions Marathon Automotive Group. Located in Summerville, SC and North Charleston, SC with three convenient locations to serve all automotive repair and service needs.
Contact Info:
Name: Wymetto Barnard
Email: Send Email
Organization: Marathon Collision
Address: 1016 N. Main St. (I-26 & Exit 199A) Summerville SC
Website: http://marathoncollision.com
Release ID: 21146
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