Investing in a home that is in an area prone to floods can be frustrating, especially after the home you just bought gets flooded for the first time. Having to dry out parts of the building or even the entire thing can be a long and tedious process and if you have not ever had to do it, you might not know how to go about it. There are a few different things that you need to do after a home has become flood damaged and precautions to take in case it happens again.
After flood waters have receded and you re-enter your home, you need to be certain that there is no risk of electrocution. All power to your home should be cut before you re-enter, because it is likely that there is still some standing water. There are also some biological risks that you take when you go back into a home or other building that has been flooded. There are all kinds of chemicals and biological hazards that tend to exist in flood waters and you should wear protective gear while you are attempting to dry out your home and thoroughly wash your hands before you eat.
Before you begin trying to do anything to the home, you should take a video camera and carefully document the damage done to every part of your home. Do this thoroughly and try not to miss anything because this will help you tremendously when trying to file an insurance claim on your damaged home.
You should start by removing any insulation in your attic that has become wet. This will weigh down on your ceilings and can cause them to collapse, because wet insulation is not only heavy, but no longer effective. Anything else in the home that is still wet should be removed and set outside to dry. Opening windows to allow air to circulate through the home is also essential and if you have hardwood floors, drying them out naturally is the best way to go if you do not want to cause them to buckle. Using hot air from heaters to dry your home out is not recommended at all.
Watch for mold beginning to grow in the home shortly after the waters have receded. Mold can start to grow in as little as 24 hours after something has come into contact with water or high humidity. This is another issue that you do not want to have to deal with after a flood, not only because of the damage that it can do to your home, but also because of the damage it can do to your health.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of
Texas Water Damage Restoration and
Dallas Water Damage Restoration Which are Certified IICRC Water damage and mold remediation contractors.
