Last Updated on March 20, 2024 by Faisal Khan
The issue of flood is like a nightmare for the homeowners especially for those who haven’t experienced this before. It not only damages the valuable possessions of the home instead but also offers excellent destruction to your dream home. There are two types of a flood, one that comes from natural calamities and the other due to burst pipes or any other issues in the home itself. Well, the issue of the flood is quite a scary experience, but if you act fast with a systematic plan, the damage can be minimized to a great extent.
But the process of this systematic plan needs a lot of experience and energy as you have to clean and replace various things in your home. However, it is also vital to hire flood restoration Orange County professionals as soon as possible to make the process fast.
So, without thinking about the cause of a flood, you must know what you should do in case of a flood. Without wasting more time, let’s take a deep breath and read the post below.
Safety matters a lot
This is one of the first steps to help you remain safe and secure. However, if the water damage is quite huge then you must leave the property as soon as possible.. But when you return to your home when everything is stable then also you must follow various precautions. They are turning off the main power, wearing protective gear when you rent your home, etc.
Apart from that, if you are dealing with water, ensure to protect yourself from harmful chemicals and contaminants as you don’t know what is the source of water. Moreover, do not eat any of the food items which are contaminated by flood water.
Furthermore, before eating anything, make sure to wash utensils as flood water has contaminated them.
Locate and stop the water
If the water is of a flood, then surely you cannot stop it, but if the water is coming from your home, then locate and stop the water by shutting it off. This step will help minimize the overall damage as water will not come inside the home.
Turn off the electricity.
Once you stop the water at its source, the next step is to shut off the electrical power in your home. But ensure not to walk through the water to turn off the power. This step will be safe to avoid wiring electrocution. If you don’t know where to shut the main power off, ensure to call a professional electrician. That means whatever you do, ensure to do with precaution.
Evaluate the home structure
If the flood water has damaged your home, then don’t enter your home until you check the home’s structure. For this, you can call the Flood damage Orange County professionals. If not, you need to make sure of the following:: –
- Are there cracks in the foundation or not
- Insulation is wet
- The windows and doors are swollen
- The rust is seeping into cracks
- The electrical system is wet
- Damaged pipes and wires
However, if you find the above signs that show the property is dangerous to the renter.
Start the clean-up process.
After you stop and evaluate the home’s structure, it’s time to remove water from the home. This process is quite daunting as getting confused about how to and what to do first? That means you have to remove all the water from the home, salvage things, dry the area and also disinfect the area so that the objects in the home cannot harm the family.
But while doing all the above things, ensure to wear protective gear like rubber boots, gloves, etc., to avoid contact with bacteria.
Call the insurance company.
Water damage is covered in the home insurance policy, so before you start the clean-up process, ensure to document each and everything to make a claim. That means taking a picture of all the damaged items so you can show them to the adjuster.
But before the adjuster arrives take the images of the damage. However, if you can take pictures when water is there inside the home to show the extent of the flood.
Dry things out
If you are successful in removing water from the home, the things in your home will remain wet, and it also increases the humidity of the home. So, to dry out things, take the help of a fan, air conditioners, etc. to dry wet things.
Here dehumidifiers will significantly help as they remove excess moisture from the air in enclosed places. Apart from that, carpets, rugs, and wooden things like furniture need to be dried out and taken out of the home and dried in the sunlight; once they get dry, they are disinfected for further use.
Go for repairs
Once the flood water is cleaned and dried, now it’s time to repair things that are broken like windows, broken possessions, replace things that need not be used again, etc. If your insurance company has paid you the claim, you must hire a contractor for the repair part as you are not aware what are the things you can use after water damage.
Moreover, if your home electronics are submerged in water, and you want to use them, make sure to check them with any of the professional electricians before plugging them. However, these electronic items can be anything, starting from stereos, computers, television, etc.
Conclusion:
However, if you are unsure what to do first in case of a flooded home, hiring a flood restoration Orange County professional will be a wise idea but take this step as soon as possible. They very well know how and what to do first in the situation of water damage. Apart from that, they will help you determine what things need replacement or can be used.
But make sure to hire the best and most reputed company for the work as they will not waste your money and will do satisfactory work.
Read More: Why Should You Hire An Expert To Clean Up Smoke Damage…
