The Top 3 Things You Can Do After Your Home Is Severely Damaged By Water

Flooding is the worst thing that can ever happen to your home. This is because the water damages everything that comes into contact with. In fact, the damage that is left by such flooding can’t be measured. Sometimes the damage is so severe that you have to buy new furniture and electrical appliances. The problem is that flooding happens when it’s least expected. At times flooding can be caused by a burst water pipe, an overflowing water tank or heavy downpour. When such a horrible happens, most homeowners get confused because they don’t know where to start. Below is a list of things that you can do to counter the damage of water in your home.

1. Relocate Temporarily

First things first. When you return home and find that your home is already flooded with water, you should look for another place to stay. If the flooding happens when you are still at home, it’s advisable you take your kids and pets, important documents and a few things that you can salvage and go to another place that’s much safer. Staying in a flooded is a huge mistake. This is because you can get electrocuted by live power cables when they come into contact with the water. You should actually switch off power from the main socket.  

In addition to that, staying in such an environment makes you vulnerable to waterborne diseases, especially if the water has been contaminated by raw sewage. The resulting cold can also make you get pneumonia. You should seek refuge at a friend’s or relative’s home until the flooding problem is solved. You can also opt to stay in a hotel because it’s much convenient than staying with friends.

2. Removing Water to Prevent Further Damage

Once you have safely evacuated your family, it’s important you make arrangements for the flood water to be removed. Keep in mind that the damage will be intense when the flood water is allowed to persist. If the flooding was caused by heavy rain, you should wait until the wet season is over. However, if the problem was caused by a burst pipe, the water should be removed within a few days so that you can go back to your home as soon as possible.

If you will remove the water by yourself, you will need several bins. The process can really break your back. Since you may not be able to finish the job in one day, you should hire a company that specializes in water damage restoration process because they have advanced equipment and skilled workers that can guarantee a quick turnaround time. Your belongings will need to be taken outside the house to create room for the process.

3. Drying the House

You can’t go back to staying in your home immediately the water has been removed. This is because the house would still be wet. The home must first be dried to make it habitable. The task of drying the home is usually handled by professionals. They actually use huge fans and dehumidifiers to boost the drying process by removing moisture in the air. Once the drying period is over, you can safely move back into your home. However, the problem that caused the floods to damage your home must be fixed to prevent it from recurring. If a burst pipe was the culprit, you must call a plumber to repair it. And if the problem was caused by rain water, you must clear the drainage system to prevent it from clogging in future.