About 14,000 people every day deal with an emergency flood situation. Home flood damage accounts for $20 billion in costs each year, and more than 14 million homes in the United States are at risk for it.
Since flooding is so common, you need to have a game plan for dealing with it in your back pocket. We have the guidelines you need to feel comfortable taking action if you have flood issues in your home.
Keep reading to learn more about flood damage and how you can rectify it.
Start to Control the Flood Damage
Before you hire professionals for deep flood damage restoration, you have to get the flooding under control. Notice the source of the flood and figure out both how to stop it and collect any free-flowing water.
If the flooding is due to a plumbing problem, locate your shutoff valve to stop water flow in your entire home. If your home is flooding due to weather, make sure you’ve closed or sealed off all entry points, and surveyed your home to see if there are multiple. Grab whatever towels and buckets you can find to consolidate the water and clean up glaring wet spots or puddles.
Open windows or run fans to dry out any saturated areas. The better you control the flood in the beginning, the more you prevent costly damage in the long run.
Document the Damage and Call Your Insurance Provider
Next, start documenting the flooding to make sure you’re compensated. A flooded house is a common insurance claim, so read through your plan to make sure you’re covered. Find out how much coverage you have for floods, and touch base with your company to start the claims process.
Grab your phone and take as many photos and videos as possible of the flooding. Keep this media saved in the cloud to support your claim, and forward them to your homeowner’s insurance agent. Many of these claims are handled easily through apps. You can start the claim by uploading proof of the damage, along with statements about the flood and how it came about.
Your insurance provider will send an adjuster out to check out the damage and let you know how much they’ll pay. Before that, your insurance provider can give you a list of repair professionals that they work with.
Bring a Pro Out to Offer an Assessment
Take your flood insurance company’s recommendations and do some research of your own. After combing through some reviews, call up a professional that can offer a thorough assessment of your property.
During their consultation, your flood damage pro will let you know the extent of the damage that you’re facing, along with a breakdown of the work they’ll do. They’ll provide an itemized list of the work that you need, along with a breakdown of the supplies. A flood damage professional will answer any questions that you have so that you’re comfortable moving forward.
Ask them to furnish a copy of their license and insurance so you know you’re working with professionals that can do the job.
Figure Out What it Will Cost
After assessing your home damage, the flood damage professional will also provide a price quote. A flooded basement might cost you as much as $10,000 or more, while an entirely flooded home can start at $7,800 and cost you more than $70,000.
Compare the price quote with the amount that your insurance provider is paying. Assess the credibility of the company, and get as many as three different price sheets before deciding on a flood damage company. If your insurance is covering the work, make sure to forward them the price quote and keep the estimate for your records.
Move Forward With Any Home Repairs
From there, your water damage professionals will move forward with the work. They’ll give you an estimated time of completion for the work and will need you to sign off on the contract before proceeding.
Check with your homeowner’s insurance provider to see if they can offer you a temporary living situation while your home is being worked on. This is particularly important if the flood damage is severe in your home. Once you’ve decided, have a professional handle the work right away to minimize the long-term damage.
Repair and Replace Your Property
Fixing your home is the first part, but you have to also repair or replace any property that was damaged. Get your furniture checked out to see whether you need reupholstering, replacing wood components, or replacing the furniture altogether.
It might also make more sense to replace your carpets and rugs rather than cleaning them if the damage was significant. Take inventory of everything that needs to be repaired or replaced so that it’s included in your claim. You can view this website to learn more about your options post-flood.
Treat the Property for Mold and Waterproofing
Think about your household’s health, and the longevity of your house moving forward. Mold is one of the most dangerous side effects of flood damage because it can irritate your respiratory system and make your family ill. Make sure that your flood damage professionals check for mold and apply anti-mold treatments.
Prevent future damage by having them also apply waterproofing treatments, and seal off areas of your home that are susceptible.
Handle Your Flooded House
The tips above are helpful when you have flood damage that requires your attention. This is one of the biggest damage issues that homeowners need to keep track of, so stay vigilant, and always have a quality insurance plan that is active.
Check out our other posts so that you can learn more about protecting your property and making the right real estate decisions.
