Come Home to a Flood? 4 Steps to Ensure a Safe and Thorough Cleanup
If you came home from a long weekend to find that your home had flooded, you'll need to take action as quickly as possible. Water damage can start to set in within a matter of hours after a flood. If you've been away from home for several days, the damage could be significant. Luckily, there are steps you can take to restore your home to pre-flood condition. If you're not sure what to do now that your home is flooded, follow the tips that are provided here.
Turn Off the Power
If your home is under more than a few inches of water, and you can see power cords in the water, the first thing you need to do is turn off the power to your home. In most cases, you won't need to go into the house to turn off the power. You can simply turn the main breaker to the off position. Once the power is off to your home, you can start assessing the damage. However, if you can't turn the power off at the breaker, stay outside until the power company can come out.
Get the Air Circulating
Once you're able to get inside your home, you'll need to get the air circulating. If the power has been turned off to your home, you can get the air circulating by opening all the windows. Circulating the air will help slow down the spread of mold. It will also help to speed up the drying process. If the power didn't need to be turned off to your home, you can use portable fans to get the air circulating. This can include any ceiling fans you have in your home. Be sure to let the air circulate throughout the cleanup process.
Isolate the Mold Growth
If water cleanup was delayed, you can expect to find some mold growth in your home. If that's the case, you'll need to isolate those areas until cleanup can begin in those rooms. Mold spores can travel throughout your home, especially if they're not contained. The best way to contain the mold is to close the vents to the affected rooms, and then close the doors.
Hire a Clean-Up Service
Finally, if you returned home from a long weekend, only to discover a flood, you need to hire a cleanup service. Because of the delay, there may be extensive damage hiding below the surface. The best way to restore your home to pre-flood condition is to leave the cleanup to a professional water cleanup service.
