Flooding to a home or business can create a catastrophe in the owner or renter’s lives. One of the most dejecting feelings in the world is to have your home or business flooded after working for years to get it just as you want it. What may be the worst part is that flooding usually takes people by surprise, without time to prepare and save items.
After the water subsides, the shock of seeing your home or business underwater is only the beginning of a long process to recovery. In this article, we will discuss the damage a flood can do to your property and the importance of drying and dehumidifying after flooding.
Salvaging Property
Once you are able to enter your home or business, you will begin to take stock in what is ruined, what is salvageable, and how to make any repairs to your property. While items such as clothing and anything waterproof may be salvaged, some items cannot.
For items that you are not sure about, you’ll need to remove them from the property and into the open air if possible to start allowing them to dry out. Items such as clothing may need to be taken to the cleaners in bulk to remove any debris from the floodwaters.
The Importance of Drying and Dehumidifying
While we think of large furniture, carpet, and other home accessories as needing to be dried out, many people don’t realize there is more to getting your house back to normal after a flood. As water enters your home or business, there is not much that will block its path.
Once back into your property, you’ll find water has found its way into the flooring, walls, cabinets, and many other spaces. This means that after removing any large objects from your home or business the next step is to start the drying and dehumidifying process.
The danger of not starting the drying process as soon as possible results in the growth of dangerous mold and mildew within the property. Some people have chosen not to begin the drying process until their insurance company visits the property, but this is a mistake. Notify your insurance company that day but immediately begin drying out your property and belongings. Allowing moisture to go unchecked within your property will create poor air quality and negatively affect your health within just a few short days.
How to Dry and Dehumidify Your Property
The goal after a flood is to remove the moisture out of your property as fast as possible. Since this is an overwhelming task that requires immediate attention without delay, you should contact a water remediation expert to take on the task.
Professional emergency water removal companies have the equipment and knowledge to save as much property as possible and will make your property safe again. Most companies will respond rapidly that day. Until then, here are a couple of steps to take:
- Do not enter the property until your power has been verified as off if there is freestanding water.
- Be careful of using electrical outlets until they are determined to be free of moisture.
- Open all windows.
- Remove as much leftover water as you can until the experts arrive.
The critical first step is to act quickly. Call an expert to help solve your flooding issues.