Every year, thousands of homes are damaged by floods, bringing structural damage to personal property. Besides being dangerous, sewage from overflowed or burst pipes can cause even more damage down the road without proper flood water cleanup.
Fortunately, if your house recently suffered damage by a flood or severe water damage, you can take these steps to repair the damage and reclaim your home.
What To Do After A Flood In Your House
Regardless of the damage, whether it’s groundwater or falling water, or if your water system malfunctioned, there are a number of steps you should take within the first 24 hours to guarantee safety for your family and help you practice the best clean up activities to overcome the flood. In the days ahead, here are some important things to remember:
- Water in motion should be avoided.
- If the authorities indicate that returning home is safe, you may do so.
- Stay on solid ground. You can be swept away by water that is just 6 inches deep. Electrical charges may penetrate standing water when underground or downed power lines are present.
- There can be broken bottles and animals hiding in flood debris. It is also slippery. Driving or walking through it is not recommended.
- Watch for flood waters receding in areas.
- Be extremely cautious when entering the house, as hidden problems may exist, especially in the foundation.
7 Ways To Clean Up After A Flood
1.Safety Is Priority
When faced with a major home disaster, the first step is to remain safe. You must deal with not only the water itself but also whatever debris, contamination, or sewage it came into contact with. Ensure that you protect yourself from any harsh chemicals or items that may have been swept in during the flooding. Whenever you return to your home, turn off the electricity and wear protective clothing.
2. Stopping The Water Resource
When flooding occurs, you should locate the water source and shut it off or seal it off unless it is due to natural causes. You can stop the flow of water easily by shutting off the main water valve in your house. In the case of natural calamity, try blocking the water from every inlet of your property.
3. Draining Flood Water
It’s time to drain the water. Your process may differ depending on the extent of the flooding in your house or even the affected rooms. Pumping water out is possible using buckets and bins, or you can use hoses to drain large amounts of water. You can vacuum up the moisture left in carpets and floors with a vacuum as the water recedes. There are times when you can mop up the mess for a clean floor if the damage is minimal.
4. Rescue Your Valuables and Irreplaceable Items
You should collect salvaged items, such as money, jewelry, insurance papers, photos, and heirlooms. If possible, choose a spot outside or in a formerly unaffected part of your home where the material can dry thoroughly. Clean each item thoroughly using a clean cloth. After they have been cleaned, place them in your designated area to dry until the completion of all flood cleanup.
5. Getting In Touch With The Insurance Company
You need to thoroughly document flood damage from your house with pictures or video before removing the water or organizing a flood cleanup service. To begin the process of recovery, submit a claim to your insurance company with that visual evidence.
Insurance companies are often willing to cover the flooding caused by storms, backups in sewer lines, and drain blocks. An insurer will go to the property to inspect the damage and determine if it qualifies as a covered loss. Insurance companies are more likely to pay out faster if you notify them immediately of your losses.
6. Monitor Airflow
If the weather permits you to open windows and doors, you can reduce moisture and expedite the drying process. Open closets, cabinets, and drawers and ensure fans and dehumidifiers are running to increase air circulation.
Make sure that your home is drying thoroughly after the flood and closely monitor your flooded spots.
7. Hire A Professional Restoration Company
Flood cleanup is a lot of work, but you can do a lot of it yourself. However, the costs of time, supplies, and rent for machinery quickly escalate.
Hiring a flood cleanup company like Kings Restoration to do the work is the best option for the home and flood restoration process.
We are specialists who can assist you with flood cleanup or provide a second pair of eyes to ensure that the situation is handled appropriately. Our water damage and flood cleanup professionals are available 24 hours a day.
Final Tips
When you fail to clean up your home after a flood thoroughly, you risk severe and expensive damage in hidden corners of your home that you otherwise would not be aware of. Thus, approaching flood cleanup companies is the most feasible option for the complete repairing and restoring process.
