A house or apartment flood is one of the most stressful things a homeowner can go through. Bad flooding can cause extensive damage to the home, and prompt action is required to mitigate further damage. Fortunately, Steamatic of Dallas Fort Worth has extensive experience in the flood restoration process. In this article, we’ll share that knowledge so you’ll know what to do if your house floods.
Immediate Actions to Take
As soon as it’s safe to enter the home, you can begin taking steps to mitigate the damage. Before you do, it’s vital for your safety that you turn off any electricity or gas in the home. Otherwise, it could be very dangerous to enter. When you’re ready to enter, follow the steps below.
- Remove Valuables: After ensuring that it’s safe to do so, get any valuable items, important documents, or sentimental belongings away from the water to higher ground to prevent further damage.
- Document the Damage: Take as many photographs or videos of the flooded areas as you can. The more completely you document the damage, the more streamlined the insurance claims process will be.
- Extract Standing Water: Quick water removal can minimize or prevent structural damage to the home and limit the growth of mold and mildew. A wet/dry vacuum works well for this purpose if you don’t have convenient access to a pump.
- Improve Ventilation: Opening windows and doors is a good start to getting the air moving in the home. If you have them, use fans and dehumidifiers to further speed up the drying process.
- Contact the Insurance Agency: It’s best to contact your insurance agency and report the flooding as soon as possible. They’ll let you know what information they need from you while it’s fresh on your mind.
- Dispose of Damaged Items: Unfortunately, you’re likely to find a number of items that can’t be salvaged. Discard these items as soon as you have a chance so the area is as clutter-free as possible for the restoration process.
The Benefits of Professionals for Flood Restoration
Minimizing the immediate and future damage caused by a flood requires quick and skilled action. Professional water cleanup services offer a number of advantages for the restoration of flood damage.
- Expertise: Professionals know how to assess damage accurately and efficiently repair it.
- Equipment: Specialized tools, such as water extractors and high-powered fans, do a more thorough drying job.
- Mold Prevention: Professionals know where to look to remove hidden moisture which could otherwise let mold grow.
- Complete Restoration: Professionals will catch and correct hidden issues that can cause future problems.
- Time and Stress Savings: Letting someone else do the work frees you up during an already stressful time.
The Process of Professional Flood Restoration
When our professionals approach flood restoration, we aim to return the home to its condition before the flood. This is an extensive, multi-step process:
- Assessment: We assess the extent of the damage, categorize it based on water damage levels, and create a restoration plan.
- Water Removal: Specialized equipment allows us to remove standing water from the home quickly.
- Drying and Dehumidification: We put industrial fans and dehumidifiers to work to remove any moisture thoroughly.
- Cleaning and Sanitization: Any impact surfaces and items are thoroughly cleaned and sanitized by our team.
- Mold Inspection and Removal: We take extra care to search for any place mold may have formed and remove it.
- Repairs and Reconstruction: Our team will then repair or replace any damaged structural components.
- Final Inspection: Before we leave, we’ll make sure we haven’t missed anything.
Trust the Professionals at Steamatic of Dallas Fort Worth to Handle Your Flooded House
Whether it’s a flooded kitchen from a burst pipe or an entire home flooded from a storm, Steamatic of Dallas Fort Worth has the skills and experience to quickly get your home back to its former glory. If you need to know more about what to do when your house floods, simply request an emergency response from us, and we’ll get to work.
Featured Image: michelmond/Shutterstock
