What You Need to Know About Flood Cleanup
Whether you have had a water leak in your home or a flood, you will need to take steps to clean up the water damage. Flood cleanup is a time-consuming and expensive task. The cost of flood cleanup will depend on the amount of damage to your home, the location of the flood, and the types of household materials that have been damaged.
Depending on the extent of your flood damage, you may need to hire a professional to clean up your home. You may also need to have your onsite wastewater system professionally inspected. You may also be required to remove hazardous household materials from your home.
Tools
Before you begin flood cleanup, you will need to ensure that you have all of the proper tools and protective gear. This includes rubber boots, long sleeves, gloves, and protective eyewear. You may also need to rent additional equipment if you don’t have it. In some cases, insurance will cover the cost of equipment for flood cleanup. You should also call your local utility company to have electricity and gas shut off.
If your flood damage occurred in a basement or crawlspace, you may need to rent a pump to pump out the water. You should also clean up the area and make sure that the floodwater does not contain any contaminants. This includes raw sewage or chemicals. You may also need to wait until the floodwater subsides before resuming normal activities in your home.
If you have a basement or other area that is unaffected by the flood, you may be able to save certain types of household materials. For example, vinyl flooring can be saved, as can insulation materials. However, if your home has a water-resistant subfloor, you may need to replace the flooring.
Flood damage
Some furniture may be salvaged, depending on the extent of the flood damage. For example, laminated or particle board furniture may be salvaged, but solid wood furniture may need to be replaced.
Depending on the level of water, you may need to hire a professional contractor to clean up your flood damage. This will ensure that the materials are removed and replaced properly. Your insurance company may also require that you hire a professional contractor to clean up your home. Our professionals can handle all types of flood damage issues.
Once your flood cleanup is completed, you will need to document your work. You can do this by taking photos of the damage in your home and the salvageable items. This is important for future insurance claims. If you have valuable papers that have been damaged, you should store them in a freezer until you have a chance to retrieve them.
Sanitizing
You should also be prepared for lingering issues in your flood-damaged home. These issues may be mold or mildew. Mold can cause health problems, including allergic reactions. You may need to purchase sanitizing products to kill the mold. You may also need to replace certain household materials.
When you clean up flood damage, you may need to be cautious about using washing machines and toilets. Flood water can saturate your carpets, leaving stains that will need to be cleaned.