Okay, you knew that you lived in a flood plain area but the cycle was predicted to be only once in a hundred years so you believed there was little to no chance that you would experience a flood. Unfortunately this is the situation for many homeowners and when a flood arrives at their door step and they are in shock as to what to do next. Here are some tips on how to clean up after a flood.

The scene that usually greets homeowners returning to their home after a flood will often be one of near complete devastation brought on by the tremendous volume of water that flooded their property. Most of the contents are destroyed or at least damaged. After the initial shock you must begin the flood cleaning and restoration process. Although in many instances your insurance company will offer assistance and somewhere to stay if the property is uninhabitable, don’t depend on a speedy response as they are usually overwhelmed with similar problems. It is imperative to get on with the flood cleanup restoration yourself.

The first things that will need to be done is to evaluate everything that has been damaged by the water and determine whether it can be repaired or if it will have to be disposed of. Items that have sentimental value do not dispose of. Before you dispose of any damaged property keep in mind that insurance companies may want to see evidence of the damaged items. It is a good idea to take an extensive amount of pictures or video of the damage before beginning any restoration.

If the power is off do not be in any hurry to turn it on until you are absolutely certain that it is safe to do so. Usually following a flood the power company will determine if it is safe to turn on the power after checking the house and main electrical panel and circuits.

Remove all the contents of the house to assess the damage. After it is removed from the house determine which items can be restored and which items that must be disposed of. Clean the items that can be restored and let dry outside.

The next order of business is to determine if the house has suffered any structural damage. If structural damage is evident do not attempt any cleanup effort or repairs until the damage is assessed by a structural engineer. It is rather pointless to proceed with cleaning and repairs if the building has suffered structural damage that cannot be economically repaired.

After the building has been determined structurally sound the big job of cleaning up and repair can begin. Clean all the mud and debris from the home and dry out the building. This may take several days unless you have fans or a heat source to accelerate the drying process.

Cleaning after a flood is a process that can take a lot of time. It is something that is best not rushed to avoid overlooking critical areas that can cause you to have to start the process all over. Although it takes time and a lot of work the restoration process can be completed in a few weeks, after which any evidence that you experienced a flood is no longer visible.

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