Here are some tips on how to deal with a flood in your home…
If you’re dealing with minor flooding from a leak then you probably didn’t have to leave your home. However, there are some steps that you should take whether you’re dealing with minor or major flooding.
After a major flood, first, ensure it’s safe to return to your property and inspect the damage. Floods can have more than one peak, so listen to advice given by emergency officials before returning to your property. After doing so, follow these steps to cope with the damage, clean-up, and recovery.
- Don’t Forget to Contact Your Insurance Company: Your insurance agent will be your best guide through the process of filing a claim if necessary, documenting the damage, and starting the cleanup process.
- Do Enter With Caution: Before entering the damaged property or area, look for hazards such as cracks in the foundation, gas leaks, broken power lines, and leaking chemicals.
- Do Remove Wet Contents Immediately: Mold can begin to grow on wet carpets, furniture, bedding, and other high moisture-retaining items within 24 to 48 hours of saturation. Take these items out, clean them thoroughly, and ensure that they are completely dry and fungus-free before bringing them back inside.
- Do Ventilate and Dry: On dry days, open your windows and doors to let air inside to help dry out the interior of your property. Consider using a heavy-duty dryer or air mover to expedite the process and dry carpeting, upholstery, walls, and more.
- Do Extract Standing Water: A large amount of standing water can be pumped out gradually either by using a heavy-duty water pump shop vac or by employing a professional water extraction service. For floods of a few inches, scooping up water with a bucket — while wearing the right protective gear to prevent exposure to bacteria — may be your best bet.
- Do Dehumidify To Reduce Odors: Extracting excess moisture from the air will not only speed the drying process, but it will also help eliminate musty odors and prevent mold and mildew growth. A basement dehumidifier is a great solution for prevention.
- Don’t Forget to Restore Indoor Air Quality: If mold and odors are still present after the water removal, drying, and cleaning process, consider using an air purifier to help filter out impurities from the air. Air purifiers are a great way to rid your home of any indoor air pollutants, whether they’re caused by floods or anything else.
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Excerpt from https://www.sylvane.com/how-to-handle-a-flood.html