What do you do if your house is flooded?
Thursday, September 17th, 2009 Subscribe To Our Feed
Due to climate change, we are experiencing heavier and more prolonged periods of rain, resulting in damage to property due to flooding. Flooding can also occur from localised choked drains with disastrous consequences.
Arranging in advance what you’ll do in a flood won’t just help you feel prepared - many insurance companies will actually reduce your insurance premiums if you have a contingency plan in place. Many items can get ruined, even with just an inch of water, for example: carpeting, plasterboard, appliances and furniture. The better prepared you are, the better you'll cope with the effects of flooding. Don’t wait for a flood to prepare for a flood.
When water damage strikes, every minute, every hour that you wait escalates the cost of repairing and replacing your property. If left untreated for a long period of time, then the amount of flood damage restoration required will increase. The quick response to any water emergency can lead to the protection of property and the health of the household inhabitants.
A more severe storm or deeper flood may add damage to even more expensive systems, like: ducts, the heater and air conditioner, roofing, private sewage and well systems, utilities, and the foundation of your property.
The first thing to be done if your house is flooded is to contact an insurance adjuster immediately to initiate flood insurance claims, but flood cleaning and salvage efforts should begin as soon as possible. Make sure you take photographs and videos, this will help with your insurance claim.
Next you should have the water pumped out of your property, however you don’t want to pump water out too quickly as any water surrounding the property may damage the foundations. It is recommended to drain in stages ideally about a third of the volume daily.
Whether you have one inch or one foot of water in your home or basement, you should start the clean up as soon as the water recedes. Once the water has been extracted, the carpets can be cleaned and act quickly to have your carpets cleaned so that you do not have to worry about mold or mildew building up and making the matter worse. Wood floors that have absorbed a lot of water could be buckled and it is advisable not to repair them until they are fully dried.
It is important to ensure your home is properly heated and ventilated to assist the drying process. However, remember that petrol or diesel generators, dehumidifiers, pressure washers and patio-type gas heaters should never be used indoors without adequate ventilation.
If plaster walls and partitions have been affected badly and do not dry out in a sound condition the plaster and boards affected will have to be removed, walls dried out and re-plastered. Otherwise redecoration of sound walls is all that will be necessary.
If work tops and other areas show signs of damage, avoid food contact with these areas. Particularly make sure that shelves, including those in your refrigerator, where food is stored are cleaned and disinfected.
You will also want to examine any damage done to your home’s electrical system. Any broken, frayed, or loose wires are certainly areas for concern and should be checked by a qualified tradesman.
Nobody wants to have the tragedy of flood damage but if it does happen being prepared can be the difference between an extremely unfortunate event or a complete disaster.
Associated Cleaning have the resources to respond at short notice to these kind of “crisis calls” and will discuss with the client or their agent, the best approach to remedy the situation without formal commitment.
Technorati Tags: No Tags
Related Tags: No Tags
Possible Related Posts
