Flood Damage 101: How to Get Your Home Back to Normal
If you’ve ever been the unfortunate victim of flood damage due to heavy rains, flash floods, or similar natural disasters, we understand. Dealing with the aftermath of flooding is frustrating and overwhelming. Similarly, flooding due to issues like a pipe burst or backed up sewage line can cause a lot of stress and make a big mess in your home.
If disaster strikes, here are a few tips on how to deal with flood damage:
Remove any standing water: Without putting yourself in danger, it’s a good idea to remove excess water if possible, whether by mopping or using a shop vacuum.
Dry out what you can: Remove carpeting and furniture. Crack the windows if the outside temperatures aren’t too cold (and humidity is low) and set up fans. Wipe down any wet surfaces like ceilings or walls.
Use best practices around flood water. Flood water has many contaminants and microorganisms that can be hazardous to one’s health. Professionals should complete removal and remediation, but if you want to get started on your own, make sure to wear protective gloves, eyewear, and gear.
Contact utility companies: They can guide you on proper procedures for turning off any electricity or other utilities. The local health department can also give tips on water testing before you return to using it. The Health Department can also provide information on water safety if caused by a sewage back-up.
Prevent Secondary Property and Health Damage:
Keep an eye out for mold: Water everywhere is destructive, but even afterward, you need to watch for signs of growing mold. Mold is prevalent in the aftermath of water infiltration. Mold can grow on wet porous surfaces. Typical areas of concern are carpet, insulation, drywall, and even blankets and clothes.
Sanitize: Sanitizing is essential when dealing with water and flood damage. You must sanitize and disinfect all affected surfaces. No matter how your flooding occurred, there are bacteria and contaminants in floodwater. You must remediate appropriately by removing them with best practices, commercial equipment, and quality products. Sanitizing everything after the water has dried up is very important.
Contact insurance: Depending on the cause and extent of your flooding, we suggest speaking with your insurance company to find out what your homeowner’s insurance will cover. They might want to inspect the property to get an idea of the amount of loss.
Give flood damage restoration experts a call - Thompson Building Associates is a certified property damage expert. Teams are available to help you get your home back to normal after flood damage 24/7/365.
When dealing with flooding from a storm, burst pipe, water line rupture, washer/hot water leak or sewage back-up, our team can help!
Call us at 614-863-9650 to learn more about our restoration services.
Cleaning up After a Flood- Flood Safety
