IF YOUR HOME HAS TAKEN ON WATER AFTER A STORM
Severe
weather brings a high volume of insurance claims. There may be anywhere from
hundreds to thousands of claims being field at this time. Because of this,
insurance adjusters may not be able to inspect your property for one to several
weeks depending on the order in which your claim came in and the severity of
your loss. Many property damage restoration companies also have a waiting list
due to the influx of calls. If you seek assistance from one of these companies
you will most likely be informed that there is a waiting list and that you
should not wait if someone is able to provide service to you sooner. If you do
not have coverage you will be expected to pay out of pocket for water damage clean
up services.
Many homes
loose power during severe weather. Your home must have power in order to
address the standing water or the water will return. If you have no power you
can still be proactive by doing the following the things:
- Prevent electric wires from making contact with water. Avoid standing in water to prevent electrical shock.
- Turn off the breaker in the damaged are before you unplug or remove any electrical devices located on wet carpet.
- Hook your sump pump and fridge up to a generator. The generator will keep your sump pump running so that the home does not take on any more water.
- Take pictures of the standing water for documentation. Dispose of items contaminated by sewage.
- Make a list of damaged items and the price of the item. This information will be needed for reimbursement of your contents. Please note that you will not be reimbursed for spoiled food if it is less than your deductible. If it is over your deductible and you can provide proof you will still need to pay your deductible in order to be reimbursed.
- Do not open the fridge to ensure it stays cold.
- Wear protective equipment and pick items up off the ground to prevent them from sitting in standing water. The faster you get items out of water’s way, the more likely you’ll be able to save them. Water damage is progressive and items that could be restored within the first 48 hours of the water damage may not be restored if clean up is prolonged.
- Keep the door to the basement shut to prevent mold spores from traveling to other areas of the home.
If power has
been restored and the water starts to recede you are still left with another problem
on your hands. Standing water that is a result of your sump pump or sewer
contains contaminants and is not considered a clean water loss. Because of
this, it is best to have a water damage service professional assist your with your
clean up. You can do the following things while waiting for a restoration
company to assist you:
- Push remaining water toward the sewer drain.
- Once the water has receded you are then left with damp items that are often not salvageable. If you want to dispose of these items you must have accurate documentation if you will be seeking reimbursement from your insurance company. Take pictures of these items for documentation. Some insurance adjusters are understanding if contaminated items have sat for days and needed to be disposed of but it is up to the homeowner to provide proof of damage.
- Mold will form as a result of moisture so the area that had standing water needs to be dried as quickly as possible. If humidity inside the home is not controlled, items that were not damaged from the original water damage could be damaged as a result of absorbing moisture from the air. Your air conditioner can act as a dehumidifier. Dry air helps the standing water evaporate and will slowly draw moisture out of the walls, carpet and other wet areas. In times of severe weather most restoration companies will not have extra equipment that can be rented out.
- Open basement windows if it is not raining. This will improve ventilation.
- Remove baseboards to allow air in.
- Place aluminum foil under the legs of any furniture which is in contact with we carpet to aid in preventing stains on carpet that can be saved.
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