If you have recently experienced flooding in your home, then you may find yourself facing a lot of damage, excess water, and the loss of property. Whether the flood was natural or man-made, extensive damage can definitely be done.
The faster you can get to cleaning up after the flood, the better. There is a small window in which to clean and remedy the situation before mold damage begins to set in.
Today we will go over a checklist you can use if you are faced with flood damage in your home.
Flood Restoration Checklist
The following are a few things you should do immediately following a flood in the home:
- Shut off the main water valve to the home if your flooding is due to an appliance, broken pipes, or backed-up drains.
- Turn off the electrical breaker next before you begin to move your electronics out of the home. You also want to avoid turning on any lights until you know the extent of the damage in the home
- During the cleanup process, you want to make sure to wear protective clothing, including rubber boots and gloves and follow all other flood cleanup and safety tips
- If any of the floodwaters made contact with any food items or kitchenware like canned food items and cutlery, you want to discard these items
- If you have roof damage and the rain hasn’t stopped, you want to make sure to cover the roof and even your windows with a tarp to help prevent any other damage from occurring
- Call your insurance company right away to begin the claims process for the damages
- Call a water damage restoration company to help you remove the excess water, dry out the home, and prevent mold and mildew damage from setting in
If you don’t own your home and you rent, you should still follow a checklist very similar to what is above for the homeowners. However, there are some additional steps you should also take that include reporting the flooding to the property owner, move your valuable possessions, and attempt to stop and seal a leak from causing any additional damage.
If you are a renter, it is also a good idea to discuss with the landlord the emergency plan that is in place in case of any flooding, so you know what to do and how to better prepare.
Why Call a Water Damage Restoration Company?
Instead of trying to ensure that you clean everything up properly yourself, it is always good to call in the experts. The steps you take immediately following a flood in the home are crucial and need to be done as fast as possible.
A restoration company has access to the right equipment and technology and they possess the knowledge that is needed to ensure that everything is cleaned up properly. They have more techniques than just a shop vac to remove the water from the carpets.
They also help dry and clean up the walls, the baseboards, and control the humidity in the home to help with the prevention of mold and mildew growth. So, if you find yourself in need of water damage restoration professionals, don’t hesitate to call the experts at Blackhill Restoration.