Preventing disasters like floods is almost always impossible, whether natural or caused by a defect in the plumbing system. While they may be stressful at that moment, the best thing you can focus on is how to remediate your living space so it doesn’t continue to impact your life. Flooding can affect many aspects of your house, so employing professionals to help clean things up and repair or replace any damaged fixtures is a must. Here’s what to do after a flood in your house…
Here at Top to Bottom Renovation Inc we’ve offered flood restoration services in Maryland since Y2K heralded the shift into a new millennium. Over that time we’ve seen countless success stories of people being able to move on with their lives much sooner than they believed possible. Along the way, we’ve learned a few tricks that can help people deal with such disasters effectively in a way that gets their families back up and running in no time.
Here are some tips on what to do after a flood
Don’t Panic
Regardless of whether it was a natural disaster or man-made, there comes a point where you have to accept that the damage is done. Instead of just forgetting about the situation, it’s best to bring yourself back to the moment and focus on what is within your control. This goes back to the essential survival needs that have existed in our lives for eons.
Shelter
When a house is damaged by flooding, it’s often unsuitable to stay in the house until the water has been removed from the carpet and wood. This is because the higher levels of moisture in the house can foster mold, and in some cases, the flood water may have various bacteria or pathogens.
The first thing you should do after a flood has happened in your home is organize a suitable place for you and your family to stay. There are generally several options:
- Contact any family members or friends that live nearby to ask if you and your family can stay while your home is restored
- Find a nearby hotel or motel that offers long-term accommodation, or consider any hostels or Airbnbs that might be better suited depending on your circumstances
- Contact the local disaster relief service in your area to see if they offer assistance with emergency housing
Food and Water
Once you have the shelter organized, it’s important to focus on eating and drinking enough water. Disasters often put us in a state of shock, and it can be hard to even feel like eating or drinking, but often this hunger and dehydration can lead to a lot more stress. If possible, check your fridge and pantry for any food that you can bring with you, and if you have emergency supplies like bottled water grab that too.
Once you and your family are in a safe shelter, ensure that everyone has something to eat and drinks plenty of water.
Document What you Can
Once you have somewhere safe to stay and have eaten enough food and drank some water, it can be good to document anything you believe might be important concerning the flood.
Natural Disaster
If it was a natural disaster and you have insurance that covers such things, then you will want to write a list of all the damaged fixtures and possessions. It may also be important to review your insurance policy to see if they have any protocol that needs to be adhered to.
Man-made Disaster
If the problem was caused by a man-made mistake, then recording any information about the incident that you can remember will also be important for insurance purposes. Try not to think of this part as finding someone to blame, instead, you want to use deduction to document facts. Write down where the water came from, whether it came from a burst pipe in your yard or your house, and whether any work had been done on your plumbing system recently.
What to Do After a Flood in Your House?
Once you have covered the survival necessities and documented what you can, it will be time to get in contact with a provider of flood restoration services in Maryland or wherever you may live. Our company knows what to do after a flooded basement in your house. As a provider of such services, we know just how important it is to get on top of the restoration as soon as possible, as the water may be continuing to damage the structure of your house or fixtures like carpet.
While it may be impossible to predict or prevent these situations from affecting our lives, being prepared with the number of a provider of flood restoration services in Maryland can ensure that you’re able to begin the restoration promptly. Not only will this save you money in the long run, but can also ensure your household is up and running again in no time.
Do not hesitate to call our professionals at Top To Bottom Renovation, Inc. if your home or business is affected by a disaster. We are available 24 hours a day at (301) 579-8215 to provide emergency disaster restoration services.
