6 Steps to take after your house floods

Flooding is very dangerous, whether in a residential or commercial property it’s a common disaster today. When it’s your own house it’s even scarier. Whether from a water heater, burst pipe, or outside water handle it immediately. Having a flood damage restoration company might be very costly if you don’t have home insurance.  Most of the time a flood will catch homeowners off guard and can cause water damage to your house if not handled within the first 24 hours. Below are the steps to take after you have a flood:

Shut off the power

Unplug all electronic devices and appliances. Turn off the main power and the individual fuse connections. Also, shut off the main water valve to stop any water from continuing to flood. This is usually located next to the water heater.

Take pictures

Document the damage for the insurer with photos or videos for insurance purposes. If this is a big flood, the insurance company will want to have as much information possible to help with the claim.

Stay safe

Keep children away from the water and wear shoes to keep yourself safe. There might be hazardous chemicals in the water so wear gloves to remove any water. move furniture from the affected area quickly and other personal valuables. Anything wet for more than 24 hours is trashed in most cases.

Extract standing water  

If possible clean up any water with towels and buckets. Get a wet vac or sump pump if you can find one locally this can range from $160 – 500. If not use a bucket or mop to remove any water that you can. Open windows and doors to allow air into the building.

Dry out your house 

Even if you remove all the water you will still need professional air movers and fans to dry the structure of the building. Dehumidifiers are a big help for getting rid of extra moisture in the air. You will also need a wall injector to dry out wet drywall and cavities to prevent mold growth. A flood damage restoration company can extract the water and dry out the structure of the house for you. Water will most likely travel under the floors and behind the walls in your property.

Mitigate Mold growth

Mold can grow as quickly as 24-48 hours from water damage if left wet. You can use non-ammonia detergent on surfaces with mold and mildew. Always test on smaller areas before applying to a bigger area. An item wet for over 48 hours might be salvageable. You may have to remove drywall, insulation, and flooring to prevent mold and mildew from growing in your house.

**Notice Failure to clean up your house after a flood can cause costly repairs to the electrical system, HVAC, etc. We always recommend hiring professional flood damage restoration services to restore your property. Contact the experts in South Florida today.