What to Do If Your House Floods

2/13/2020 (Permalink)

Flood damage can be devastating, but there are some steps you can take to mitigate the damage!

Many homeowners in the community recently learned how unexpected disasters can be. When heavy storms hit and flooded many areas, we received more than 100 calls from customers concerned about flood damage. Because flooding isn’t something that occurs on a regular basis, many of our customers were confused about the steps they should take. Fortunately, we can provide some insight.

1. Get to higher ground. The first thing you’ll want to do is get to higher ground. For starters, floodwaters can have contaminants, which can cause health concerns. Flooding can also create safety hazards, so affected areas should be avoided.

2. Address the flooding source (if possible). You’ll want to prevent as much of the flooding as possible, so if you’re able to address the source, you should do so immediately. In many cases, this isn’t possible, so unfortunately, you’ll have to wait until the rain stops before you can take further action.

3. Call your local disaster restoration company. Once the flooding stops, you should begin the cleanup and mitigation process. First, you’ll want to call your local disaster restoration company (like our team at SERVPRO of Iredell County) to extract water, set high-tech drying equipment, and to apply an antimicrobial spray to reduce the risk of mold growth.

4. Remove as much water as possible. When it comes to water damage, time is not on your side. While you’re waiting for the water mitigation company from the previous step, you should start removing as much water as possible. The earlier you can get started on this, the better it is for your home and your belongings.

Flooding has affected many homes and businesses in the last year. Although most people are taken by surprise and are often unprepared, the above steps can get you on the right track. If your home does have water damage, know that our team at SERVPRO of Iredell County is always available!