The first hour or so after you discover your home has been damaged by water is the most crucial in determining the extent of the damage and the chance of salvaging your belongings.
Here’s how you should act if you suffer flood damage:
1. Call in the Experts
At the first sign of any flooding whether from natural sources outside the home or internal incidents such as burst tanks, call in professional flood damage experts. Professional help is vital and the sooner you call for help, the better the chance you’ll have of salvaging your carpets and other possessions.
Be sure to explain the situation as clearly as possible when you call flood restoration experts so plans can be made accordingly. They’ll need to know the source and type of water and when the incident occurred.
While waiting for the professionals to arrive, there are some things you can do to help with the situation. Be sure to get the go-ahead from your water damage experts beforehand.
2. Dry the Carpets as Much as Possible
If you own or have access to a dry/wet vacuum, get to work extracting as much water as possible from your carpets. Under no circumstances should you use a normal vacuum.
If the sun’s shining, throw open the windows, curtains and shades and let Mother Nature do its job. Sunlight can kick-start the vital drying process in your home and make it easier for the professionals when they arrive.
Alternatively or at the same time, if you have electrical power, and your home has been declared safe, you can turn on any fans you may own and direct the air to the affected area to begin the drying process. Likewise, if you own a dehumidifier for use in your basement, say, you can put it to work in your flood-damaged rooms.
Bear in mind that the above actions are only a kind of first aid for preparing the patient for the arrival of specialists. Only experts in flood damage and remediation can most effectively carry out the restoration work.
Whenever you need flood damage, Water Damage Specialist is available 24 hours a day and services the Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne markets.
