Flood damage is a very serious matter and if it’s not dealt with in a timely manner, it will only get worse as the water and humidity spreads across your home. The best solution is to call in a specialist right away, but if you have some time you can use these tips to clean up the mess until they arrive. To help you avoid this scenario, the following is a list of tips for how to clean up flood damage.
Tips to clean up flood damage
1. Remove all power
Disconnect the power source, or if you’re not sure how to, turn off the circuit breaker. You don’t want any electrical items near water as this can be very dangerous. Without power the water will stay in its place and stop spreading further. If you have a basement, leave it dark as this will prevent mold growth and the like. If you need to go down there for some reason, use a flashlight instead of turning back on the lights.
2. Get rid of dirt and debris
This may sound strange but you need to get rid of dirt and particles that have sunk under your carpets as this will give your vacuum cleaner something to pick up when you start with it. It will also help with speed when you start. Also keep in mind that your vacuum cleaner may not be strong enough to handle the job, so you may have to enlist the services of a professional cleaner.
3. Check for leaks
You will want to test the location of any leaks and fix any that you find immediately. To do this, turn on some nozzles in each room and check them every two hours if necessary. Leaks that can’t be fixed before they spread need to be repaired as soon as possible, but remember if leaking roofing tiles are loose, it’s likely that flooding has already happened and is just waiting for some time for a chance to occur again.
4. Test for power
You should be able to turn on electrical devices such as televisions and even some small appliances through the use of a new switch. If these work, you know there’s a problem with your main circuit and you can start working right away instead of waiting for an electrician. The same applies in your basement; make sure all outlets are working, including the water pump, if you have one. Make sure all electricity is working, including switches, lights and outlets. You may also want to take a look at any other rooms that weren’t affected by flooding.
5. Remove wet carpeting and dry affected areas of the home
You’ll want to do this step before you start cleaning up any water damage, especially if you have carpeting in your home. You can remove the carpets that are still in place or you can remove them and leave them as they may cause further damage when dried out with too much moisture. You can also cut them up and donate them to a charity if you like, but most people just want to dispose of them at the landfill. The carpeting that’s in place can be laid right on your pile of wet items or you can wait until they’re all dried out before actually moving furniture. You should remove any mops, sponges and other items that have touched water from the room also.
In conclusion, to clean up flood damage, you can follow the steps as listed above but if you’re one of those individuals that have a hard time following directions, then you may have to hire someone to help with the job.
