|
The Flood Cleanup Procedures Introduction After a flood happens, many people revisit their homes to determine the water damage first hand rather than have an insurance agent tell them the damages. Certainly, this is a difficult time for families who have seemingly lost everything, but there are particular things you can do to ensure safety, damage assessment and the best and quickest way to emergency flood cleanup. Safety Always Comes First Do not return to your home until it has been declared safe by emergency flood cleanup management officials. There are many dangers that may lurk in flooded areas such as, unstable structures, dangerous floating debris, unsure footing, diseased water, etc. Make sure there is no live power. If you can't turn it off through the breaker box, wait for the power company to check it out. The Initial Assessment To the best of your ability and resources, prepare a visual record of the water damage. Take pictures or film on all sides of the home and yard. Don't forget the roof and any utilities connected to the home. If filming, try to narrate the shots. For pictures, write captions on the back.Before you enter the home, be certain that the structure is stable. Water can do funny things to wood and plaster and this might not be readily visible. If there is any doubt, don't go in. What you can do from the outside is board up any broken or knocked out windows with plywood or cover with a heavy plastic. During these times there's likely to be a shortage of materials, so you might have to use some imagination for what to use. The Repair and Cleaning Depending on the damage, there might not be much to do. If the damage is not total, you can do a few things to make your life and home feel normal again. If you need a generator for some power or a lighting source, make sure to read up on generators before buying or using one after a flood. Once plastered walls have dried, brush off the loose dirt. Wash with mild soap and clean water. Start at the bottom and work up, just the opposite of washing a car. The lower floors and lower parts of floors will have the most damage. Clean ceilings last. It's also important to clean out heating and plumbing systems.Clean metal at once, then wipe with a kerosene-soaked cloth. A light coat of oil will prevent iron from rusting.If the building has shifted or the floors have settled badly, it may be necessary to install temporary bracing until extensive work can be done. Most flood damaged appliances won't be in good condition, but if you think something can be salvaged, take whatever items might still be good to an appliance professional. Beyond this, it would be a waste of time cleaning a floor that needs to be ripped out or shoring walls that will be torn down.A service professional will need to be called in to accurately assess the damage or possibly rebuild. Conclusion After a natural disaster like a flood or hurricane, the demand for qualified contractors often exceeds the supply. Many contractors hike-up prices to take advantage of the demand while others who would have never gotten a job see their offices swamped with emergency flood cleanup requests. While you may feel the desperation to remediate your home as quickly as is humanly possible, don't make a hasty decision just to have results. Hire the top quality Emergency Flood Cleanup Arlington Heights IL services at cost effective Prices.
Related Articles -
Emergency, Flood, Cleanup, Arlington, Heights, IL,
|
