MILWAUKEE — Drivers across southeast Wisconsin have been trying to clean and dry their cars following historic flooding.
Andrew Wiech lives on that same street. After he and his family rushed out of the rising waters at the Wisconsin State Fair, they were happy to be home. Wiech said the street seemed to be draining well before they went to bed, but the water built up on the street changed overnight.
"Left our cars on the street and woke up to finding out Delaware turned into a river," Wiech said.
Wiech found that his car and his wife's car had a couple of inches of water inside. A generous neighbor saw him struggling to clean up the next morning after the water receded and loaned their Shop-Vac.
Watch: Car owners focused on clean up after historic flood hits southeast Wisconsin
Flood water can quickly damage a vehicle. Monday morning, one driver in Oak Creek drove around a barricade at 27th Street and 8 Mile Road and into high water. The car stalled, prompting firefighters, police and a tow truck to respond.
A driver went around a barricade and stalled.
"You want to try to get the car as dry as possible within 24 hours before growth of mildew starts," Mazen Muna explained.
Muna owns Metro Car Wash and Detailing Centre in Milwaukee. He says that their team is busy with customers whose cars were impacted by the flash flood.
"There are cars that have had enough water in them where it's ruined things that are electrical," Muna stated.
If you have to DIY the cleanup, Muna advises getting a majority of the water out, then drying quickly.
"Run the heat on full blast along with the AC. The heat pulls some moisture out of the fabric in the carpeting and the AC pulls it from the air," Muna explained.
AAA advises car owners to contact their insurance company immediately to determine coverage before getting any repairs, and to photograph any visible damage.
Any vehicle with flood damage should be inspected before being driven again.
From computer systems to the transmission, there are several parts that can make the vehicle unfit to drive if they are impacted by water.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
