If your house is located close to a river or you live in a hurricane-prone area, your house can be flooded and damaged extensively.
Removing the floodwaters from your home and restoring your home after flood damage can be an overwhelming process; however, if you know how to approach it right, you can achieve the desired results faster and more economically. Some tips to follow:
Tips To Restore Your Home After Flood Damage
Exercise Caution
You must assume that the floodwater is contaminated with various toxic chemicals and substances. You must make it a point to wear waterproof gloves and boots if you are planning to enter your house to remove your belongings or carry out repairs.
Wait for the floodwater to recede and then disinfect all the surfaces thoroughly. In case, you cut yourself, you should wash the wounds thoroughly with fresh water, disinfect them and apply a dressing if warranted.
If you come in contact with the floodwater, be sure to wash your hands and other parts of your body thoroughly. Do not allow pets, children, and seniors to expose themselves to floodwater. Do not consume any food, including canned food that has been in contact with floodwater.
Make Floodwater Removal Your First Priority
To minimize the flood damage to your home, you must remove the floodwater at the earliest. You can do this by using buckets, with a pump-vac, or by using a water pump. If you are using a pump-vac, read and follow the manufacturerโs manual.
Cleaning the drains of your home and making channels for standing water to drain in nearby sewers can help drain the water faster.
Freeing the gutters of typical debris like leaves, garbage, and dirt will help the water drain more quickly into sewers and drains. Check here if you need hurricane flood damage restoration services in Miami FL.
Dry the House
After all the floodwater has been removed, you need to dry out the house to minimize the flood damage. Open the windows and doors to let sunlight and fresh air in and take as much as possible stuff outside to let them dry in the sun.
Switch on all the ceiling fans in the house and position additional floor-standing fans to force the air inside out.
Even though drying out the house may seem simple, it is a critical function and is handled best by experts. They will identify hidden areas in your home where water and mud may be still trapped, which left unattended can lead to the development of mold and mildew as well as compromise the integrity of the structure.
Mold development, according to the CDC, may cause allergic reactions, spark off bouts of asthma, shortness of breath, and even fever. Mold removal is a specialized job best left to professionals.
Conclusion
A damp home is not only unhealthy and unsafe to live in but also it may witness a reduction in its value.
By taking the right steps as fast as possible, you can mitigate the potential of severe and long-lasting flood damage. Having floodwaters entering your home can be devastating, however, by following the simple steps discussed, you can restore your home and belongings better.
