Restoration companies gear up to help Harvey victims rebuild: "You're seeing them at their lowest"

Harvey restoration

HOUSTON, Texas -- After Hurricane Harvey, now a tropical storm, restoration crews from across the country will be along the Gulf Coast in the coming weeks, working to save homes and the treasured items inside.

Those who've taken part in past hurricane cleanups say it's incredible to consider just how quickly water damage can add up, and so many essential functions can be ruined by flooding. For those doing the cleaning, that'll mean a number of heartbreaking conversations.

Brian Hintze

"They'll get quite acquainted with these," Brian Hintze, GM Of Emergency Fire & Water Restoration said.

Hintze said air movers, air scrubbers and commercial-grade dehumidifiers will become commonplace in SE Texas.

"If you get to a dollar amount where you're restoring it at two times the cost of a home, it doesn't really make sense to do so," Hintze said.

Hintze said he worries thousands of homeowners will come to that awful realization when the rain finally stops and the historic flooding subsides. He said three to four feet of water on the first floor can total a home.

Tropical Storm Harvey

"Things like outlets, cabinetry, flooring, walls, redoing mechanical -- electrical, plumbing, HVAC stuff is probably your biggest expense," Hintze said.

He said he worked along the Gulf Coast in the aftermath of Hurricane Isaac in 2012. He noted restoration efforts along the coast come with some unique challenges.

"When I was down in Louisiana, we actually had to worry about alligators and stuff in houses when we'd go in them afterwards," Hintze said.

Tropical Storm Harvey

Brian Hintze

Once they get past wildlife and the structural damage, Hintze said crews will also have to tell people which cherished possessions they could salvage.

"It's heartfelt at times. You know, we're there. It's our job. It's business like anything else, but you really do get intimate with the people you work with because you're seeing them at their lowest moment and you're responsible for helping them get through it," Hintze said.

Tropical Storm Harvey

Hintze said he saw severe flooding in homes around Burilngton and Salem in July, and with Harvey bringing the potential for up to 50 inches of rain, flooding there will be on an entirely different scale.