Emergency Water Damage Tips

6/10/2022 (Permalink)

A large flood can be difficult to clean without expert help.

Emergency tips for when your house has been flooded by water from a clean source.

When you find that your house has been flooded it is common to feel alarmed, frustrated, devastated, or worried at some level. Not knowing what has been damaged or how much the repairs will cost can be quite stressful. However, there are things that you can do to minimize the damage to your home and to ensure the safety of you and your family. Here are a few quick tips that can be quite helpful when your home has been flooded by water from a clean source.

1. Shut off the source of water if possible or contact a qualified party to stop the water source.
2. Turn off circuit breakers for wet areas of the building, when access to the power distribution panel is safe from electrical shock.
3. Remove as much excess water as possible by mopping and blotting.
4. Wipe excess water from wood furniture after removing lamps and tabletop items.
5. Remove and prop up wet upholstery cushions for even drying.
6. Place aluminum foil or wood blocks between furniture legs and wet carpeting.
7. Remove to a safe, dry place any paintings, art objects, computers, documents, and other materials that are valuable or sensitive to moisture.
8. Uses wooden clothespins to keep furniture skirting off damp floors.
9. Hang furs and leather goods to dry separately at room temperature.
10. Don’t enter rooms with standing water where electrical shock hazards may exist.
11. Don’t enter affected areas if electrical outlets, switches, circuit breakers, or electrical equipment are exposed to water. Always avoid electrical shock hazards.
12. Don’t leave books, newspapers, magazines, or other colored items on wet carpets or floors to cause staining.
13. Don’t leave Oriental rugs or other colored rugs on wet wall-to-wall carpets to cause staining.
14. Don’t use your household vacuum cleaner to remove water, possibly causing electrical shock or damage to the vacuum cleaner.
15. Don’t use TVs or other appliances while standing on wet carpets or floors, especially on wet concrete floors.
16. Don’t turn on the ceiling fixtures if the ceiling is wet or enter rooms where ceilings are sagging from retained water.

These tips will help you avoid some dangerous situations and allow you to save money by decreasing the amount of damage that could happen to your home, of course, the first and best tip is always to give us a call.