What Not to Do When Your Home or Office Floods

If you’re anything like most people, you might be inclined to panic at the first sign of flooding or water in your home or office. You already know that it can cause devastating damage, not to mention thousands of dollars in repairs.

In this article, we’ll let you know the top three things that you must avoid in the immediate aftermath of flooding or water damage. That way, you’ll be on your way to water damage restoration without any delay.

Panicking: Ignoring the Cause of the Problem and Basic Safety Precautions

As we said, a lot of people panic when they’re faced with water in the home or workspace. Their overwhelming sense of urgency can sometimes cause them to take the wrong first steps, which can cause all kinds of problems down the road or even jeopardise their safety.

Wherever there is standing water, be very careful about electricity. Always wear rubber boots that completely protect your body from the water, even after you have cut the source of electricity to the house. Rubber gloves are a must if you plan on touching anything (and you almost always will).

In addition, unless the flood was caused by external circumstances (a hurricane or other natural disaster), you absolutely must find the source of the flooding and stop it. You can always turn off your water main, and all property owners or residents should know ahead of time where theirs is located.

Better yet, shut off the actual pipe or seal the specific location of the source of the water. That way, you still have water for the rest of the building and don’t put the rest of your plumbing at risk.

Skipping Logistics

Once again, in a moment of panic, many people want to jump right into flood damage restoration, but that is another big mistake.

For one thing, it is crucial that you properly document and catalog the damage. Otherwise, you may jeopardise your entitlement to home insurance payments and support, or even government assistance (especially in the event of a natural disaster). Trying to jump in and begin the cleanup or take any other action could cost you a great deal of money down the road.

In addition, unless you’re a contractor or a professional water damage repairer, you don’t have the expertise to know where to start. That fact leads us to our next huge mistake that people make after their home or office has experienced a flood or water damage.

Trying to Do it Yourself

We won’t mince words: flood damage restoration of any kind – even relatively minor water damage restoration – is complex and tricky. What is more, how it is conducted can seriously impact the overall value of your home.

There are other reasons to hire a professional water damage repairer, besides financial (value of the home). Often, much of the destruction created by standing water is hidden. There can be growth of mould and mildew in the walls, underneath the flooring, and other spaces that inexperienced repair people won’t know to think about.

These kinds of things can not only ruin a home or other building itself, but they can also endanger anyone who lives or spends time there. It is unhealthy to breathe mould spores and they can cause serious complications over time.

Protect your health and the health of those you love, as well as your most important financial investment – your property – by hiring professional water damage repairers to take care of your flood or water damage restoration project. That way, you can get back to the things that are truly important to you and rest easy knowing that the job was done right.