A flooded home can be a serious danger to everyone in it. It can be expensive to fix. To alleviate the problem as much as possible, there are a few steps you can take immediately. Here are a few quick-action steps you should take when your home has been flooded.
Stop Water at Its Source
If possible, you should stop the water. If a pipe broke, then you’ll want to try turning off the water in that area. That might mean that you need to open up a wall. In other cases, you may just want to turn off all the water in your home by switching off the main water valve. If your home is being flooded because of rain or tidal waves, then all you can do is try and stop the water from accessing your home with sandbags or other barriers.
Turn Off Electricity
Water and electricity in any combination are a bad thing. To keep everyone in your home safe, you need to shut off the power. Locate your fuse box and see if it’s possible to turn off the power in that section of the home. Otherwise, you’ll want to turn off the power to the entire home.
Call the Experts for Water Removal
When the water finally stops pouring into your home, you’ll need experts to remove it. Local companies, like Water Emergency Services Inc., can be a great solution for removing water from your home. You’ll want to call the professional as soon as you can and schedule a service. The faster that the water is removed, the sooner the drying process can begin. It also means that the water will stop spreading to other parts of the home, reducing the damage it takes.
Get Mold Inspection
A serious consequence of water damage is mold. Black mold can have a serious impact on your health. It often forms after the water has made contact with drywall. Mold can grow on practically anything. Its spores travel through the air and can even travel in parts of your home that weren’t subjected to flooding. Removing mold quickly is the only way to stop its spread.
Documentation
Finally, you need to document everything for your insurance claim. Take pictures of the flooding and the removal process. If any furniture was damaged, then you should take pictures of that as well.
Taking these five steps can help you reduce the damage your home takes due to a flood. They can help keep your family safe and ensure your home is still able to be inhabited.