26 Jul Crucial Steps To Take After Your Home Floods
Floods are devastating. You and your family just made it through a nerve-racking experience, and to make it worse, your home and personal possessions are soaked. Navigating the period after a flood can be difficult and confusing, but by taking the necessary steps, you can start on the road to recovery. Here are some crucial steps to take after your home floods to ensure you and your family stay safe.
Contact Your Insurance Company
The first thing you should do when your home floods is contact your insurance company. They can help you recuperate the monetary value of items lost in the flood and even partially or fully cover the cost of repairs.
However, flood damage is not covered under most standard home insurance policies. Flood insurance can prove crucial after a disaster. Whether you live in a low-risk or high-risk area, consider adding it to your insurance plan through an addendum.
Clear Out Your Home
The next crucial step to take after your home floods is to start the restoration process once it is safe to reenter your home. If the flooding is minor, you and your family might be able to clear out the soaked furniture, flooring, drywall, and insulation yourselves. But it can be dangerous to expose yourself to floodwater. This is because it is often contaminated with sewage and other harmful substances or objects. To ensure the easiest, fastest, and safest cleanup possible, enlist the aid of a local restoration service.
During the restoration process, you should also watch out for signs of mold and mildew growth. These can begin to from 24 to 48 hours after a flood and you should deal with them immediately so they cannot spread.
Get Repairs Underway
Before you can start repairing the damage left behind by the flood, you need to give your home time to dry. You can dry furniture and other portable objects outside, while air movers and dehumidifiers can tackle moisture inside the home.
You can proceed with the necessary repairs as soon as your home is dry. Depending on the extent of the damage, this can be as straightforward as replacing a few pieces of furniture or as complicated as replacing everything from the floors to the drywall. A restoration and repair expert can fix the damage and advise you on the best ways to protect your home in the future.
Duct Squads is proud to offer Oklahoma City water damage restoration services. If you need help in the wake of a flood, we will work with you to ensure your home is cleaned, dried, and repaired quickly and professionally. Contact us today to learn more about our restoration services!