Flood damage is already a major problem for many homeowners, but the associated costs are expected to rise by over 60% in the next 30 years.
If you live somewhere that is prone to flooding; whether it’s due to constant rainfall or storm season, you’re probably used to the water removal process. In order to restore your home to its former glory, water extraction is an essential service.
Whether you’re attempting it yourself or hiring a professional, to do flood damage restoration the right way, you need to follow the proper steps. Failing to do so could result in improper moisture removal and further damage to your home. Sounds expensive doesn’t it?
Today, we’re going to walk you through the process in a simple yet effective manner. Keep reading and be prepared for the next time your home has a flood.
Determine the Level of Safety
Before you can start the process of removing the water and assessing the damage, you need to determine how safe the premises are. Staying safe should always be your first priority, as a flooded home poses numerous potential health risks.
For one, the water can weaken the structure of the home, making it unstable. This is most common after natural disasters, so stand outside the home and look for a sagging roof line or cracks in the exterior near windows and doors.
If the building looks sturdy enough, peek your head inside and look for more signs of structural damage before entering. Again, sagging ceilings and loose rafters mean that the house could collapse at any moment.
Turn Off Electricity
The next thing you should do is turn off the electrical source. If you’re nearby when the flooding starts, this should be the first thing you do. Moisture and electricity don’t mix, so at the first sign of water, you’re in grave danger if electricity is still coursing through your home.
To do this, you need to locate the building’s control panel and switch off the main breaker. If the building is unsafe to enter, you’ll need to contact a professional as soon as possible to come and deal with the circuit breaker for you.
Stop the Water Source
Stopping the water source is more difficult when you’re dealing with an ongoing natural disaster. If you can manage to locate the source of the water breach and clog it, you can prevent further damage.
When the leak is coming from an internal source, like a pipe leak or an overflowing drain, find and shut off the water valve. You can’t do much to clean up the water damage if the situation is ongoing, so this is an important step.
Assess the Damage and Take Pictures
Once you’ve put a stop to the flow of water into the building, you can start to assess the damage. Look for any further health and safety risks and determine what kind of water you’re actually dealing with.
For example, if the water is coming from a toilet or overflowing sewage, there could be contaminants that put you at risk. There are typically four “classes” of water damage,
The first involves the least amount of damage with little standing water. When you’ve got lots of standing water and water trapped in confined spaces, you’re dealing with the fourth class.
If you’ve dealt with everything yourself so far, take pictures to send to the water extraction services. The more detail you can show in the pictures, the better they’ll be able to craft a plan.
Having pictures of the damage will also be important when you file your insurance claim. More detailed photographs will help you file a strong claim and get a better settlement. In the event that you’re anticipating a natural disaster, take pictures before it comes so you can present a before and after.
Water Extraction
Now, you’ve done all you can do to deal with the flood damage on your own. The next step is to contact a flood restoration company to come and begin the water removal process, which is the first step in restoring your property.
Cleaning up the area has to begin with proper water removal techniques. All technicians should be equipped with the necessary safety gear and a variety of specialist water removal equipment. These could include submersible pumps and heavy-duty vacuums, which may be truck-mounted.
The equipment should take care of water and moisture removal, but there may still be water hidden behind your walls, under the floor, or above the ceiling. To detect this, infrared cameras may be necessary.
Dry the Entire Area
Once all of the water has been removed from the premises, the next step is to make sure the entire area is dry. If you leave any moisture, you’re going to be vulnerable to structural damage, as well as contaminants like mold and mildew.
To deal with the excess moisture, industrial-strength dehumidifiers, and fans are set up in the space, sometimes for days. This ensures that all of the surfaces, including your furniture, are able to achieve normal moisture levels.
Cleanup
With the area completely dry, the cleanup can start. This is an important part of the process, which may take a long time. Using all of the best equipment and techniques, your home can be fully restored.
Cleanup is crucial; no matter how fast-acting your water removal services are, you’ll still be at risk for things like mold. With professional remediation, you can stop these things before they start and avoid any potential risks to your home and health.
Hire Flood Damage Restoration
If you’ve been dealt a major blow from flooding, the best thing to do is hire a qualified emergency water extraction team. The CleanUP Guys are Chicago’s top water and fire damage restoration specialists. No matter how bad a flood might seem, we’ll be able to minimize the damage.
Contact us as soon as your flood happens, and we’ll act fast to minimize water damage to your property. We’re available 24/7 for same-day interventions, so don’t wait to get us involved.