Floods can be devastating. Not only do they damage many of your personal belongings, but they can also lead to devastating problems with your home. The good news is, you can make the process easier by following a few steps in the immediate aftermath of a home flood.
Contact Your Insurance Company
The first step is to notify the insurance company that you have experienced a flood. The sooner you call, the better. Flood damage may or may not be covered under your policy, but if it is, there is likely a process that you will have to follow to make sure that your claim is processed in a timely fashion. Your insurance company may require an assessor to come out. Even though they are likely to take pictures during the assessment, you should take your own immediately to document exactly how everything looked when the damage occurred.
Find a Safe Place to Stay
If there is a significant amount of water in your home, it may not be safe to stay there until the restoration process is complete. If this is the case, find a safe place to stay until the cleaning process is finished. If the damage is minimal, make sure you protect yourself when in the space by wearing a surgical mask, boots and other protective clothing. Water damage can lead to mold and mildew, which can lead to respiratory problems.
Contact a Cleanup Specialist
The final step is to call a cleanup specialist. Water damage can require special care to ensure that your home is properly restored. Your cleanup specialist will make an assessment of the damage, salvage what property they can, remove the water and disinfect the area so that you and your family will not suffer from mold-related issues. They will also inform you about possible repairs that need to be made as a result of the flood.
Don't let flood damage ruin your home, follow the steps above to get on top of the damage so that you can achieve the best results.