Water Damage In Home: How To Recover Your Home From Water Damage

8/12/2020 (Permalink)

Fungus in gypsum ceiling interior building damaged from water leaking

One storm could cause billions in property damages. In fact, storm-related flooding and hurricane winds cost $54 billion in annual costs alone. That doesn't include flooding caused by accidents, such as leaving a faucet running. 

If there's water damage in your home, you need to react quickly. Otherwise, letting the water linger could cause mold to develop. Leaving standing water in your home might even attract bugs. 

It's best to call a water restoration company right away. While you wait for them to arrive, use these five water damage recovery tips to minimize the damage. These water damage in home tips can help you clean up before problems stack up. 

Get started with these tips today!

1. Safety First

Before starting with these "water damage in home" recovery tips, take the time to prioritize your safety.

First, complete a walkthrough of your home. Do you notice any visible structural damage, such as a cracked foundation? Does anything look loose or about to fall?

Search for holes, cracks, or warping in the walls while you're at it.

If you notice any serious structural damage, don't head inside. Instead, prioritize your safety and call a professional team first. They have the experience and tools necessary to handle a dangerous environment. 

If your home's foundation looks safe, check your utilities next. Were any sewer, water, gas, or electric lines damaged? If you notice damages, call the proper utility company.

After all, you don't want to cause more damage to your home. 

Once you determine it's safe, pull on a pair of shock-resistant safety shoes or boots. You might not realize there's an electrical problem until it's too late. To minimize potential injuries, turn off your home's water and electrical sources right away.

Make sure to complete this step even if power isn't working. You never know when it might turn back on. You don't want to find yourself standing in a puddle of water, trying to clean up, when the power returns. 

Turn off your home's individual fuse connections and the main fuse. 

These safety precautions can help you avoid a potential accident during the water damage recovery process.

2. Photograph Everything

Before you start cleaning up, grab a camera or your phone. Take photos of every room. It's important to document the damages before you start cleaning up.

Video footage can help you keep track of the damages within your home as well. Consider completing a full walkthrough of your home before you begin the water damage recovery process. 

During your walkthrough, take photos for every room. Don't forget to focus on any possessions that sustained damages. Staying organized will help you reference and track your losses.  

After taking photos and recording video footage, make sure to save everything electronically. You want to have easy access to your files to send to your insurance company. If your camera or photo sustains damage, you can rely on your electronic copies. 

Making an official record of these damages before making repairs is essential for your insurance claim. Otherwise, you could impact the coverage you'll receive from your claim. 

3. Gather Equipment

Once you're done taking photos, you can start clearing out the water damage in your home. You'll need to gather the right equipment first. 

There's a chance the flooding caused sewage or chemicals to make their way into your home. You don't want to step inside and breathe in those chemicals. Instead, make sure to have your high-waisted, waterproof boots and a pair of rubber gloves ready.

It's also important to wear clothes you're okay with tossing out once you're done.

Once you're dressed, start removing any water-damaged items throughout your home. Remember, you don't want to leave anything wet sitting around. Otherwise, mold could grow. 

Don't forget to write down any possessions you'll need to toss out. If you think something is contaminated, throw it away. Remove anything that came into contact with floodwater before mold gets the chance to spread. 

4. File Your Claim

As you work through your "water damage in home" process, don't forget to contact your insurance company. Water damage caused $10,849 in homeowners' losses between 2014 and 2018.

Do you live in an area where flooding occurs regularly? Consider keeping your insurance company's information on your phone. That way, you don't have to dig around your flood-damaged home to find their number. 

If you live in an area that's prone to flooding, it could take time before someone processes your claim. Contact your insurance company's headquarters if you can't reach your agent.

Sometimes, your homeowner's insurance policy won't cover groundwater flood damage. You might need to work with your insurer throughout the water damage recovery process. 

Let your insurance company representative know which repairs you intend on making. While you're at it, don't forget to send them your photos and video footage. Your insurance company will let you know if you need to follow specific instructions before making repairs. 

As you clear the water damage in your home, track any repairs you make, along with the costs. 

Keep a record of your conversations, too. If you need to reference any notes or agreements, you'll have copies you can review. 

5. Remove Water

After contacting the insurance company, start removing any standing water. If you're not sure how to proceed, don't forget to contact a professional flood team. They can make sure all the water gets removed from your home.

Otherwise, leaving water damage in your home will attract flies, mosquitoes, and termites. 

Open your doors and windows as you start cleaning to improve airflow.

Is it still storming? In that case, keep the doors and windows closed. You'll want to prevent as much additional damage as possible. If there's damage to your roof, make sure to use a tarp to keep the water at bay.    

Water Damage in Home: 5 Tips for Minimizing the Damage

Dealing with water damage in home problems? Don't let the water linger. Otherwise, standing water can lead to additional damages like mold growth. 

Ready to clear the air? Call our water damage recovery team. Contact us today to get started!