Despite our best efforts as homeowners, sometimes the worst happens.
Flooding can come out of nowhere—caused by faulty pipes, damaged appliances, or storms. If this happens to you, it’s important to know how to deal with it straight away. Knowing what to do step-by-step can give you peace of mind and certainty at a time when you’re under immense stress.
Whatever causes flooding in your home, there are some best practices for the first 24 hours following a flood. These will ensure your home and family can secure the best possible outcome. Without further ado, here’s what to do when you have a flood in your home.
The Ultimate Homeowners’ Guide: What to do When You Have a Flood in Your Home
If there is still a considerable amount of water inside your home, wear waterproof boots as you navigate your way around. Protect your hands with rubber gloves, and try to keep your exploration to a minimum.
If you need to drink water from your home at this point, FEMA recommends boiling it thoroughly beforehand.
Document the damage
Take photos—the more, the better. Documenting the damage may seem painful, but it’ll be important to your insurance company. If you remove water or start on repairs prior to taking the photos, you also run the risk of decreasing your coverage or claim amount.
Call your insurance company
If you haven’t already, you should notify your insurance provider as soon as possible following a flood. If your home is the only one affected, the process may be quite straight forward. If, on the other hand, your home is one of many that has been affected by a natural or manmade disaster, the process can be a little more delayed.
Be sure to check if your policy covers temporary housing, if you are not allowed (or able) to return home immediately.
Call a Water Restoration company
Many of our flood restoration clients across Austin and her surrounding areas get in touch with us at one of the worst times of their lives. Their home and contents are damaged, their family is displaced, and they’re dealing with mounting costs. The key for us is to secure your home and take care of the most urgent issues first:
Remove water
Once your insurance provider has given the go-ahead, your water restoration team will remove all the excess water from your home—safely and quickly. Removing the water prevents further water damage to your home and contents, minimizes the risk of mold growth—which can happen within 48 hours—and allows the water restoration team to get a clear look at what level of damage you’re dealing with.
Analyze the damage
Once the water has been cleared, your water restoration company can work through your home—section by section—to document damage to your flooring, pipes, walls, ceilings, wiring, and the structure of your home. At this point, they can also analyze the damage to furniture, take photos, and prepare a detailed damage report for your insurance company.
Conclusion
Flooding can blindside us as homeowners. If it happens to you it is important to understand the first steps you can take to kickstart the flood restoration process. By following these simple steps, you give your home the strongest chance of bouncing back to its pre-flood state.
Facing flood damage right now? Call Austin’s #1 water restoration professionals for a total peace of mind flood recovery service.
