What To Do After A Flood Ravenswood

6/27/2019 (Permalink)

A flood can be a devastating event. If your Ravenswood home has been flooded you may have no idea what to do, especially if you never thought it would happen. Water may be standing in your house, and you will be right there having no idea what steps to take. A flood can be traumatic, but it is important to know what to do after one strikes. Try to remain calm, and take note of the following steps.

Don’t Risk It

Some floods are worse than others. It may be that you had to evacuate your home just to stay safe. If this is the case, be cautious when you try to go back. Before going back into your house, check for obvious structural damage. This includes warping, cracks, holes, and loosened areas of the foundation. There could also be damage to water, gas, and electric lines. Make sure to look out for that, and contact companies to have them shut off if needed. If you believe you water and electric lines are fine, have them cut off before reentering a house with standing water anyway. Damage could still be there, even if it isn’t obvious. Since the lights will be shut off, make sure to bring a flashlight so you can see.

Document and Protect

It is important to document all of the damage by taking pictures. Do this before removing water or making repairs. Documenting first will help when it comes time for your insurance to cover costs. Repairing any damage or removing water could lower your coverage. Pictures on your phone are the best option, as they can be easily stored and shared. No matter how clear your house appears to be, you should also wear protective gear when returning. Chemicals could have contaminated the water, even if you can’t see them. You should wear waders and waterproof boots that reach your waist or hips. If you plan on moving anything that has been water damaged, wear rubber gloves. This will help keep you safe from contaminants that you can’t see. In addition, throw out food that was touched by water and refrain from using the water system until it has been cleared.

Call Your Insurance and Clean

Once you have inspected your home, cleaned what you can, and documented the damage, it is time for the final steps. You should call your insurance company as soon as possible. If the flood reached your entire community, it may take a while to get your agent on the phone. Once you do, you will discuss the extent of their coverage. In some cases, insurance companies won’t cover flooding. This depends on what caused it and how extensive the damage is.

Whether or not your insurance company will cover the flooding, you still have to have it cleaned up. To do this, a professional service company will have to get involved. SERVPRO of Ravenswood operates twenty four hours a day, and has an extremely fast response time. They will get your house up and running again in no time.