There isn't a hard and fast way to prepare for a flood. If you know the flood is coming, you'll probably move precious items to the attic and elevate furniture if possible. Unfortunately, floods often come with little warning, even through exploding pipes, leaving very little time to prepare.
Of course, your first focus should be your family's safety--after all, the things in your home can be replaced. We've compiled a few tips to make recovering from any flood a bit easier and to minimize water damage within your home further. Keep reading for more information!
Flooding Isn't Always From Natural Causes
Most of the time, people think about flooding being from heavy rains, hurricanes, springtime snow melting, or even tsunamis overseas.
Unfortunately, these events aren't the only causes of flooding; multiple sources inside your home could cause this devastating problem.
Often, leaking pipes and water heaters, clogged drains and sewer lines, faulty water hoses, and pipes bursting from freezing weather are reasons for indoor flooding. Unlike natural causes, these are relatively preventable by calling a plumber as soon as a problem is noticed.
Clean up Should Start Immediately
To minimize the damage done by water, try to remove it as quickly as possible. This may require using a pump or simply using towels to dry up whatever is leftover.
Before using anything electrical in your home, consider having a professional to inspect things first to ensure that outlets and wires are safe to use.
After removing the water, it's important to realistically survey the damage. Anything that was submerged in water will likely have damage; this includes floors, drywall, furniture, cabinets, bathtubs, and toilets.
The key is to be aware of possible issues. If you repair the obvious things like floors and drywall but fail to remove a tub or toilet, mold will grow and spread, and the original work will probably have to be redone.
The drywall is very susceptible to water damage, but to repair it, the wet areas and a few inches above it need to be removed--this process isn't the worst, but time should be allotted to allow any studs to dry out properly.
Scrubbing The Air
When repairing and cleaning a home after a flood, don't forget about the air quality you're breathing! Because your home will be a small construction zone, it will have dust particles and fumes in the air almost constantly.
There is also the added possibility of mold growth. Consider purchasing or renting an air scrubber to keep your family breathing easily. These devices can keep musty smells at bay while minimizing the number of fumes and particles in the air.
Keep in mind that air scrubbers are meant to be a short-term solution. If you notice musty odors months after the damage has been repaired, there could be mold growing, which means the attention of a professional is required.
