Residential floods can happen for a variety of reasons. You might have been unfortunate enough to get hit by a major weather event, or a pipe might’ve burst at the worst possible time. Once water enters your home, time is of the essence for minimizing the financial costs that you’ll face for the repairs. Taking these steps will help you to keep repair costs lower as you work on restoring your home.
Take Action If a Flood Seems Imminent
Many floods are unexpected events, but you might have at least a little warning before one occurs. If so, then do what you can to waterproof your belongings. You might be able to get furniture and other items off the floor. Or, you might be able to wrap artwork or remove delicate items from your home. If you notice a major water leak in your house, then shutting off the water could also prevent the damage from becoming more extensive.
Prevent the Water From Causing Structural Damage
Floods are right up there next to home fires when it comes to disasters that can cause a large amount of damage in a short period of time. A burst pipe can release hundreds of gallons of water quickly, and weather events could affect the majority of your house. Water damage restoration involves removing all of the water and using special treatments to prevent mold growth. Making sure that all of the moisture gets out of the building materials means that you might be able to avoid having to do a major remodel.
Assess the Area After It Dries Out
Your first thought might be to immediately start pulling up carpet and tearing out drywall. However, this might not be necessary if you were able to clean the area fast enough. Once the water removal is complete, do a thorough check of each part of your house that was reached by the flooding. You may find that a large part of the flooring and walls is still salvageable so that you don’t have to pay for major repairs.
Reach Out to Your Insurance Company
Depending upon your insurance policy, you might be able to get at least a portion of the water damage repairs covered. If your policy includes flood damage, then make sure to follow your insurance company’s recommendations for filing a claim. Taking pictures to document the damage could be helpful for helping you to recover some of the cost of the repairs.
Dealing with a flood can leave you feeling overwhelmed, but this is not a time to panic. Instead, take a step-by-step approach that helps you to stop further damage from occurring. Making sure that every drop of water is removed and that you identify the real repair needs helps you to only have to cover the cost of damage that you couldn’t prevent from happening.
