Knowing the things to do after a flood is crucial. If the right actions are taken, the overall damage to your home can be greatly lessened. Whether your water damage is from sewage back-up, leakage, or a full-on flood, follow these ten simple steps to make sure your home doesn’t have more damage than it needs to.
- Call ProCare Restoration. We’re here to help, and although we want to save you money, there’s only so much you can do without professional help. The following tips are going to help you with damage immediately following the flood, but our Chicago water pumping, restoration, and dehumidifying services are also a crucial step in getting your home functioning again. We’ll get through it together.
- Make sure the building is structurally safe before entering. Any warped walls or floors could be a serious sign of trouble.
- Make sure the electricity is turned off in your home before entering any flooded areas. Safety is crucial. After you know the electricity is off, be sure to wear protective clothing (including a hard hat) in any damaged areas.
- Furthermore, try not to wade into the water without protective clothing on. In the case of a serious flood, harmful pollutants are often mixed in the water.
- Take photos of the house (inside and out) before beginning restoration. This will be necessary to show your insurance company later.
- Put furniture and other objects outside to air dry, if possible. Note, however, that direct sunlight can discolor some fabrics, so a shady spot is best.
- Open all windows (again, if possible) to allow for increased ventilation. This will begin the drying process.
- Hang rugs outside as well, spray with antimicrobial disinfectants to combat any mold growth
- Take any paintings out from the frames to dry, as well as taking care to completely dry books and important documents. After a flood, one of mold’s favorite places to colonize is in paper.
- Do not heat your home to greater than about 40° Fahrenheit until all water is removed.
These tips are crucial, and can help you start to get your home back on track with ProCare Restoration‘s help. Following these tips will greatly lessen the damage to your home — and to yourself (we mean it about those safety tips). Hopefully, you won’t need to call us — but our Chicago water damage restoration services are here if you do. Let us put your mind at ease.
