Knowing exactly what to do when you return is essential to limiting damage, preventing mold, and protecting your property and belongings.
1. Safety First
- You must know how to keep safe when you return home to begin dealing with the aftermath of the flood. This may include turning off the power, as water and electricity obviously do not go together.
- Be sure to wear protective gear, such as rubber boots and gloves. When you enter your home, ensure you are fully protected and do not touch anything that can pose a potential danger to you. Not only will you be dealing with the water itself, but also anything else the water has been in contact with, such as debris or even sewage.
- Be sure to never eat food that has been exposed to floodwaters, or even near the water, for an extended period. If the water is high enough to reach your refrigerator or any of your pantry cabinets, it is the safest practice to throw the food away.
- Be sure to thoroughly wash any glasses, utensils, and flatware that might have been caught in the house flood before you use them again. You never know what germs and bacteria they may have been exposed to!
2. Stopping and Water Removal
One of the first things you should do when your house floods is to stop the source of water coming in, if at all possible. However, if you were not around when the flood happened, this could be a problem. It would be best if you could prepare ahead of time instead.
- f your sump pump is broken or has stopped running, replacing it will help keep up with any continuing rains and may prevent further damage to your basement, garage, crawl space, or the main floor.
- If your flooded home was caused by a burst pipe, have the water removed and the plumbing fixed as soon as you get home to reduce Spartanburg water damage inspection. The sooner you stop the water, the sooner you can start cleaning up and repairing any damage.
- If you don’t know what to do, it’s best to ask for help from Spartanburg flood water removal experts instead. You’ll get a fast response and quick action that could save you a significant amount of money later on.
3. Drying Out Your Home
- Even if you are successful in removing all of the standing water from your home, everything will remain wet, especially if heavy rains have increased the humidity in your area. If you have electricity, use your air conditioning and portable fans to help dry the wet areas of your home.
- Dehumidifiers are also a big help, especially in closed-off spaces, such as basements, garages, or crawl spaces. However, in the case of a house flood, dehumidifiers are only supplemental, and you are likely to need different methods of structural drying. Call the experts right away!
4. Clean Up and Repairs
Once the water is gone and you have settled with your insurance company, it’s time to begin post-flood care. Since this is too big a task, you can call in Spartanburg water damage inspection like ServiceMaster of the Upstate. We know what to do in a situation like this!
Contact a Water Damage Restoration Company Near You
Returning to a flooded home? Don’t panic; call the experts instead!
ServiceMaster of the Upstate offers 24/7 emergency water damage restoration Spartanburg across South Carolina. Our certified technicians respond quickly to stop the damage, dry your property, and restore peace of mind.
