Steps to take immediately after your house floods

Having your house flooded is never any fun, especially when you learn how much damage it has caused. Between filing claims and working with the insurance company, it can all be a blur and is always filled with stress. But if you plan ahead of time with the right insurance company and the right cleanup company, things can run a lot smoother. One of the first things you’ll want to do is get people in your home in order to clean up the water damages so that you can salvage as many of your belongings as possible.

What to Do First when your House Floods

Once you call your insurance company, and you get the OK to go back into your home after the flood, you’ll want to shut off all electrical and plumbing sources, even if you feel it isn’t necessary. Do this to be on the safe side – and you should do this whether the electricity and water are operational or not. Take precautions when entering your home, including wearing wading boots and using caution when walking through flood water. Even if the water is clear, that doesn’t necessarily mean it is safe.

One of the first things you should do is start documenting everything. Take lots of pictures in every single room, and get a notebook and start writing everything down, including any purchases you make, any notes that you want to jot down about anything you see in each room, and any questions you might have. All home flood damage needs to be well documented in order to give the insurance company a clear picture of what has happened in your home.

You can also feel free to remove some of the water if you like by using a sump pump. If you don’t have one, you can get one at most home-improvement stores, and don’t forget to keep any receipts you get every time you buy something. There is no such thing as being too well documented.

What Next?

Once you’ve done as much as you can do in your flooded home, it’s time to hand things over to the professionals. The right home restoration company provides expert remediation services and will come in and remove water, clean carpets, and get to work on your walls so that the damage doesn’t become permanent. For best results, it’s good to get these companies in your home within 24-48 hours after the flood. The sooner they can start working on your home, the more items you’ll be able to save and the less it will cost you in the long run.

Above all else, stay in constant contact with your insurance company so that you know exactly what to do to get your claim paid. Remember that everything has to be documented, so take pictures and notes before you remove anything from your home, such as wet area rugs or furniture. They’ll want to know what each room looked like before you did anything to it. In fact, the more documentation you have, the better off you’ll be when it comes to expecting your claims to be paid.