The last decade saw more than 130 major floods in the U.S., which makes it the most common natural disaster. And no matter how big or small the flood is, any amount of water can severely wreck your home.
If your house experienced a flood, then you should know where to get help with the flood cleanup to reduce damage and avoid injury.
Read this guide to find out who is available during the aftermath of a flood.
Make Your Home Safe to Enter
The first thing you want to do when a flood occurs is to fix it immediately. However, dealing with a flood can be dangerous. Your safety is more important than your flood damage.
Therefore, before you enter your home after a flood, you need to switch off the main power supply. Never go into standing water to turn off the power. If you can’t reach the power, don’t know how to turn it off, or need general assistance then call an electrician to do this for you.
Find the Source of the Flood
A flooded home will continue to flood if the source of the water isn’t located. You may have a broken pipe or a storm may hit. If it is the former, then you need to get it fixed before cleaning up.
At Steam Wave Carpet and Upholstery Care, we can find the source of your water leak before we began drying out your home.
Get Damage Assessed
Once your home is safe and the water stops flowing, you want to assess the damage. Calling your insurance agent will help you determine how many of your possessions can be replaced and if the damage to your home is covered under your insurance plan.
Remove Water
While the water damage is assessed, you can begin to remove the water from your home. Steam Wave uses truck-mounted pumps to quickly remove water and start the drying process.
Clean and Dry Surfaces and Furniture
Once the water is out of your home, floor restoration can begin. Using a carpet cleaning company like Steam Wave means that you don’t just remove excess water, you also get renewed carpets and floors.
In addition, if water destroyed your furniture, you can replace or clean the upholstery.
Getting your home cleaned will save you from having to buy new furniture and install new flooring.
Prevent Mold Growth
To prevent mold growth, you have to act quickly. However, sometimes you might not be able to go into your home immediately after a flood. So, cleaning efforts won’t begin for a few days.
Mold grows within 24 to 48 hours when moisture is present. So, if your home is closed for a few days then you need to assume mold has grown.
Get a professional to inspect your home and remove mold as soon as possible to limit the spread of mold.
Flood Cleanup requires Professional Help
Trying to perform a flood cleanup by yourself is not only dangerous but also difficult. You need special equipment and trained professionals to remove the water fast and safely.
Start by contacting us after a flood to get help immediately.