Homeowners are worried about how to restore their houses to how they looked before flooding hit them. Most of the affected homeowners concentrate more on decorating the house than fixing the damages. After your house has been hit by floods it takes more than just cleaning up the water, laying a new carpet, or re-painting. The first thing you should prioritize is safety.
Flood damage house provides the perfect environment for mold to grow hence poor air quality leading to sneezing, skin rashes, running nose, and red eyes. These kinds of health conditions are caused when the post-flood restoration is not done to the very best. Whether the flood is caused by a water system malfunction, groundwater, or falling water, it is crucial to act fast and start doing repairs on your house as soon as the water is cleared out of the structure. What do you do with a flooded house inside? The first thing is, by all means, necessary you should find a way to stop the flow of water but if the water source if from outside then the best way to prevent this is by using sandbags
To conduct a professional flood and water damage restoration in a flooded house you will need to bring on board professional labor to ensure you don’t miss anything. Before gaining access to the house make sure that electricity is turned off from the main switch. Below are steps to guide you when your house is undergoing repairs.
1. Claim insurance
The homeowners who have flood insurance should contact the respective insurance company for them to send an adjuster as soon as possible. Before the adjuster arrives make sure to take photos that will be used as an inventory. After you have done taking the photos of the house both in and out, begin cleanup, drying, salvage, and restore. Cleaning the house will give the adjuster a better view of the damages caused. For the damaged items, keep them as proof of loss. When the adjuster arrives he will assess damages done to the house and later the owner will sign a proof of loss document. If you don’t have flood insurance then the homeowner’s insurance won't cover the damages but if the government declares the floods a disaster you should apply for assistance.
2. Turn Off the Gas and Electrical Services.
Before gaining access to the house it is very important to be cautious and hire a professional to check your flooded house for gas leaks and electric wires. Failure to do this may lead to further damages like getting hurt by fire or electricity which in some cases may cause death.
3. Dealing with the Interior
After the house is declared safe, take your team into the house remove all the furniture, carpet, and bedding take them out. Replace the carpets and rugs because they might be contaminated by the floodwater. In case you want to salvage the carpets then take them out and spread them out, have them cleaned professionally using carpet shampoo, and later rinsing them with a solution consisting of 2 tablespoons of chlorine lead mixed with 1 gallon of water. If you own a wool carpet do not use bleach. After cleaning make sure to dry the carpet to avoid it getting damp after installation.
4. Check the Walls
To prevent mold, prolonged structure delay, and odor all walls should be opened even if they look undamaged. Drain all the water from the structure. When washing the walls use a phosphate-free cleaner of disinfectant starting from the top going down. Dry well after cleaning if possible use a fan, heater, air conditioner, or dehumidifier to speed the drying process.
It is very crucial to act quickly after such a disaster has affected your home to prevent further damages that might increase the cost of repair in cases where homeowners have no flood insurance. It is advised that even if you don’t live in an area that has frequent flooding disasters you should get flood insurance. If left unattended a flood-damaged house will be a new breeding ground for pests and diseases making it hazardous.
