If your home gets damaged by water, either through a natural flood or a flood caused by a burst pipe or other accident, you’re likely going to have your hands full trying to get everything cleaned up and back to normal. But depending on the extent of the damage, it may take a lot more than just soaking up water with a towel or turning on a small fan. To help you figure out how to manage this tough situation, here are three tips for dealing with water damage in your home.
Contact Your Insurance Carrier
When the water damage is enough that you can’t just handle it on your own, the very first thing you’re going to want to do after you’ve turned the water off is contact your insurance carrier. However, it should be noted that not all homeowners or renters insurance automatically cover you for floods. Generally, this is an additional coverage you’ll have to pay for. When working with your insurance carrier, Clark Harris, a contributor to Houzz.com, advises that you document all the damage before you start moving things around and attempting to clean things up. This will ensure that you’re covered for the full extent of the damage done by the flood waters, not just what your home looked like after you’ve done some of the cleaning up.
Act Fast
After you’ve documented everything, it’s now time to start getting things cleaned up. As soon as you’ve noticed the damage, you’re going to want to work fast to get things dried out. According to Lisa Appel, a contributor to Porch.com, mold or other extreme damage can start to set in in as little as 24 to 48 hours. This means that you have just a day or two to call in a professional to assist you in getting this dry and removing any parts of your home that have been too damaged to repair effectively.
Control The Humidity Levels
While you’re waiting for the professionals to arrive and during the clean up process, one of the most important things for you to do is get control of the humidity levels. According to The Family Handyman, mold and mildew can quickly run rampant when it’s too humid. To combat this, do everything you can to increase ventilation to the areas that have been flooded and get things dry. You can also open the windows of your home to get more fresh air in and help to further dry out the flooded areas.
If you’ve had flooding take place at your home, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you know what steps to take to repair your home and battle against the effects of the flood.
