You managed to get out of the area just in time. You’ve been sitting in a makeshift center for hours or perhaps you’re over at your parents’ house. Finally, you get the go-ahead to return home. But as you roll into the driveway, you can see that the home you once knew has been ravaged by flood water damage. Everywhere you look the home just doesn’t look the same. It’s going to be heartbreaking and really sad. However you must move forward and begin to rebuild your life. Wait! Should you go inside?
Call the authorities
You should never enter a home that still has standing water or has suffered quite bad water damage, unless you know the power is off. This is something the authorities should tell you about. So call them up if you don’t know or use an app if there is one, to check. Main power lines could also be down in the water, difficult to notice. So if the power comes on and you’re in the water or inside the house where appliances might have been left on, this could be serious.
Stop the source
Sometimes, the flood has passed by and the standing water keeps you from drying your floor. This is something that you need to block off. Use some wooden boards and some rocks to make an ankle-high level that prevents more standing water from coming inside. You may also need to use ropes to put at the bottom of the board, preventing water from seeping.
Brush and bucket
Firstly, use a bucket to get the water outside. It’s simple but it’s going to help to bring the water level down to a bare minimum before you can brush it outside. Once the water has died down, then you can use a simple broom or a garden brush to then swash out the water. If you have a carpet underneath, you may end up wrecking it if you brush too hard so take your time.
Take pictures
Before you call the insurance company or any other service, take photos of your damaged home. This way you can keep a record of what needs to be fixed, how much the damage total might end up costing, or simply just for proof that you are not lying to the insurance company. You can also avoid false claim accusations in the future. After that, you can contact the experienced insurance claim adjuster which will help you navigate the claims process, from filing your claim to receiving a settlement.
Damage restoring
Now, you need to call in a crack team of Water Damage Restoration experts. They are on hand 24/7 so you never need to feel shy calling them in the small hours of the morning. They will clear out the water for you, make sure that the structure of the home is safe or let you know if it isn’t. They’ll also arrive within 1-hour which is great if you know that local authorities might be some time getting to your home.
Assessing the damage yourself will only go so far; enlisting experts to do a thorough evaluation of the property will help you to detect the source accurately and effectively. You may even need to hire roofing contractors to fix your roof, if this was the cause of the flood. More often than not, your roof can acquire damage as the property gets older. Under adverse weather conditions the roof materials can start to weaken, which is why you should seek advice from roofing experts every few years.
Always approach a water-damaged home with caution. It’s best to just be slow and pay attention to the threat of powerlines in the water. Then you can begin to restore your home.
