A timely response is essential after a flood. Initial storm damage can quickly spiral out of control without the right water damage restoration protocol in place. That’s why, as a homeowner, you need to know what to do after a flood to ensure your property is not affected by long-term damage that is trickier to solve.
How Floods Can Affect Your Property
When water enters your home, through a burst pipe or natural disaster, it’s easy to underestimate the destructive power of water. Unlike a home fire, which causes instant and visible damage, flooding sneakily attacks your property’s structure, as well as causing hidden issues that develop over time.
Floodwater seeps into floorboards, warping the wood. As the wood swells, it no longer fits in place, resulting in uneven and unsafe flooring. What’s more, if the water has not been extracted properly, there is also a risk of rot setting in. Once the wood starts to rot, floorboards weaken and can no longer support the weight of people walking over them.
Walls can soak up floodwater too. Damp walls as a result of flooding can harbor mold. Not only can mold create unsightly patches in your home, but it is also a health hazard. Mold growth can worsen respiratory issues such as asthma and allergies, and certain strains can lead to the life-threatening condition aspergillosis.
First Steps to Take for Fast Recovery After a Flood
Knowing what to do after a flood can mean the difference between a long, drawn-out water damage restoration process and a speedy recovery. Getting back to normal home life as fast as possible is the goal, so here’s a step-by-step guide.
Safety first
Before taking a step inside the property, make sure that it is safe to do so. Flooding can cause structural damage that may not be obvious at first glance. Once signed off by professionals, such as the fire department, you can access the property to turn off the electricity and gas supplies. This ensures the property is safe and that you can take subsequent steps.
Document the damage
Next, it’s time to collect evidence of the damage for insurance claims. Take photographs and film footage to prove the extent of the damage so that you can receive the compensation you deserve.
Also, start making a list of damaged or destroyed items in your home and estimate the costs. If you still have them, collect receipts for the damaged pieces. This will prove useful when filing your claim.
Remove standing water
At this point, you may need professional assistance. However, it depends on the amount of standing water in your home. Standing water is the floodwater that has collected within your property. Leaving standing water as it is allows it to stagnate and worsen the damage. That’s why it needs to be removed as quickly as possible.
A small amount of standing water can be extracted with buckets and mops, and then dried with absorbent materials. While minor surface moisture may be manageable, widespread damage generally requires professional water damage restoration to locate hidden moisture, dry affected materials and reduce the chance of mold or structural deterioration.
Drying and dehumidifying
Once the standing water has been extracted, it’s likely your home will still be damp. Wood, walls, and other porous parts of your home will have absorbed a significant amount of water at this point. If the weather allows, open windows so that air can circulate and dry out the property. Also, use fans and dehumidifiers to draw out moisture from the interiors and air.
Cleaning and sanitizing
Now that your home is dry, the next step is to clean and sanitize surfaces, floors, and walls. This reduces the risk of mold growing in your home. Floodwater can carry harmful pathogens that pose a health hazard if your home is not properly disinfected afterwards. Ensure that rugs and carpets are professionally cleaned, as textiles can be a breeding ground for bacteria.
Replace, repair, and restore
For safety reasons, keeping hold of flood-damaged furniture is not a good idea. So the final step in water damage restoration is to decide what needs replacing and what can be repaired. You may need to purchase new kitchen units, furniture, and flooring if these have become irreparably damaged. Walls, once dried, can be freshly painted and even treated with a coat of mold-resistant paint.
While a lick of paint here and there is doable, any structural renovation has to be handled by experts. Flood water seeps into foundations, walls, and insulation, and, if undetected, can lead to future problems.
Knowing When to Call the Experts
Small leaks and very shallow flooding may be easy enough to handle on your own. However, if you feel overwhelmed by the sheer amount of water or have concerns about contamination or possible structural damage, it’s time to call the experts. They can bring in industrial-scale water extraction equipment and have protocols in place for removing sewage water.
If you can’t manage the clear-up quickly or to a good standard, it may cost you more in the long run if you do it yourself. Professionals will extract the water and thoroughly dry the property. They will also restore any damage caused by the floodwater and ensure that the first signs of mold are treated immediately.
