After the August 12 Cloudburst in Vail: Cleaning Up Mud and Water the Right Way

On the evening of Wednesday, August 12, a storm cell parked over Vail and emptied. Water ran down Red Sandstone Road, through Vail View Road and into Lionsridge Loop, leaving heavy mud behind. At the Vail Run condominiums, staff measured mud two feet deep behind the building and six inches deep in front. Some residents in the Sandstone area reported water in their homes, and Gore Creek ran reddish-brown with sediment below Red Sandstone Creek. A National Weather Service meteorologist told the Vail Daily that the storm “kind of parked there.” If that water or mud reached your home, the hours right after matter most, and professional water damage restoration is how the structure gets dried before mold sets in.

This guide explains why a dry summer makes a downpour worse, what mud and floodwater do to a building, and what to do in the first day.

Why a drought year makes a cloudburst worse

1. Dry ground sheds water. Soil that has baked all summer absorbs rain slowly. In a short, intense storm, most of the water runs off.
2. Steep terrain concentrates it. Runoff follows roads, driveways, and drainages downhill and picks up soil and rock on the way.
3. Drainage is built for ordinary storms. Culverts, window wells, and area drains clog with debris within minutes.

What mud and floodwater do to a home

• The water is contaminated. Storm runoff carries soil, road oils, and bacteria. It is not clean water, and materials it soaks are treated differently.
• Silt gets inside the walls. Fine mud settles in wall cavities, under flooring, and in crawlspaces where you cannot see it.
• Drywall and insulation wick moisture upward. The damage reaches well above the visible water line.
• Mold follows quickly. Growth can begin within 24 to 48 hours in wet materials.

Your first 24 hours

1. Make it safe. If water reached outlets or appliances, shut off power to the affected area at the panel before you walk in.
2. Photograph everything. Water lines, mud depth, and damaged contents, before you move anything.
3. Protect yourself. Wear boots and gloves. Treat the mud as contaminated.
4. Remove standing water and mud from hard floors. Shovel and squeegee it out. Do not push it into floor drains.
5. Get wet contents out. Move rugs, furniture, and boxes to a dry area.
6. Call for drying. Household fans do not dry a wall cavity or a subfloor.

What DRS does on site

Our Eagle County crews respond 24/7. A typical flood and mud call in Vail includes:

• Extraction of water and removal of mud and silt
• Moisture mapping with meters and thermal imaging to find what is wet behind finished surfaces
• Removal of materials that cannot be saved and cleaning and disinfection of those that can
• Structural drying with commercial air movers and dehumidifiers, monitored daily
• Documentation of the loss for your insurer

Common mistakes Vail homeowners make

• Hosing mud into the drains. It settles in the line and causes a backup later.
• Drying the surface only. The carpet feels dry while the pad and subfloor stay wet.
• Waiting on the adjuster before starting. Policies expect you to prevent further damage. Document first, then begin drying.

When to call a pro versus handle it yourself

Mud on a driveway, a patio, or a garage slab is a cleanup job. Water or mud that reached finished space, a crawlspace, or the inside of a wall needs professional drying and cleaning, and it needs it within a day or two.

If the August 12 storm reached your home, or the next one does, we can help. See how we serve Vail or request an inspection.