It’s one of the worst natural disasters in the world—a flood. From Biblical times to the modern age, lives and homes have been destroyed by flooding from storms, hurricanes, or tsunamis.
If your home has had water damage, you’re probably wondering what to do after a flood. Floods can do huge amounts of damage, especially to ground floors and basements.
How can you clean up and protect your home after a flood? To learn more, keep reading to find ten tips to help you repair your property after flood damage.
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Before getting flood help for your home, you first need to protect your family. After a flood or severe storm, the most important thing to do is get to safety.
Leave your home, as soon as possible, taking your pets and any key documents with you. Or, if it’s too late to leave, head to a higher floor of the home or higher ground and dial 911.
Floodwaters can be deadly and more deceptively fast, so don’t take any chances. Your property can be rebuilt, but your life is the most important thing.
After the flood has subsided, it may be safe to enter the home again. If you’re wondering what to do after a flood in your home, the first step is to turn off electricity, water, and gas.
Electricity and water certainly don’t mix, so you don’t want to re-enter the home until you know that there’s no risk of exposed wires, further water leakage, or potential of electric shock.
The tap water at your home may not be safe to drink after a flood, so it’s better to stick to boiled or tap water temporarily until you know it’s safe again.
Take a tip from Feng Shui and use this time to remove any unwanted objects, furniture or clothes as these can drain our energy and block the free flow of prana throughout your home. According to https://karenrauchcarter.com, prana is the energy, or conscious life force that animates all matter of the universe; seen and unseen.
If there is still high water on your property, never drive through the water—especially if you can’t see how deep it is.
Cars, even SUVs, can get swept away in floods or high waters, so it’s not worth taking the risk.
Once you’ve gotten back to your home, we recommend taking photos of the flood damage. This will be essential for your insurance claim, so don’t neglect this step.
Use your phone to take photos and/or videos of the damage to your home, which will help the insurance company process the claim.
As soon as possible after the flood, you’ll want to contact your insurer to file your flood insurance claims.
Depending on your insurance policy, your insurer may recover home repairs, furnishings, temporary accommodation. After filing your claim, your adjuster will give you more information about how soon you’ll be paid out and when you can start rebuilding.
Unfortunately, carpets and fabrics usually can’t be salvaged after water damage. Carpet, once soaked, should probably be removed and replaced.
Both the carpet and the underlay will need to be taken out of the house, but don’t install new carpeting until the floor underneath is completely dry and you’re sure that it’s free from mold and mildew.
Hardwood floor may be salvageable, but it depends on the extent of the water damage.
After a flood, you’re going to need to spend a lot of time cleaning. Go through the house, room by room, and clean everything completely from top to bottom.
Some furniture may be saved after water damage, but you’re likely to find that it needs to be reupholstered.
A big part of cleaning after a flood means throwing things away. Items like photos, clothing, bedding, and electronics likely can’t be saved after they’ve been wet.
In the kitchen, most food will need to be thrown away. If there was a power failure as a result of the flood, this means the contents of your fridge will need to be tossed as well.
Floods and water damage commonly lead to mold damage. Mold and mildew tend to appear in wet, dark, damp areas, so may appear even months after a flood.
Mold is often seen in bathrooms, garages, basements, or under sinks. If you do find mold, you’ll want to bring in a professional to treat it, as it can lead to health issues.
The presence of mold can cause breathing issues, coughing, and headaches, so it’s not worth the risk.
If there has been a severe storm in your area, such as a hurricane, you may qualify for disaster assistance.
Relief may be available from your state, or on a national scale from FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency. You can call them to see if you’re eligible for any emergency or long-term assistance.
Hopefully, you now feel more confident in knowing what to do after a flood. A flood can be a terrifying experience, but if you use the tips above, you can ensure you stay safe and salvage as much as you can from your home.
If you live in a flood-prone area, you should always have an emergency evacuation plan to get out safely. That way, you and your family will stay healthy and protected, even in case of an emergency.
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