Flash floods are brought upon by extreme weather and are oftentimes caused by heavy rain due to thunderstorms, tropical storms, or hurricanes. They can be severe or moderate. Severe flash floods leave extreme damage, whereas if moderate, there’s minimal to no damage.
In the wake of a flash flood, do you know what you need to do to deal with all of the damage left behind? This post will feature different points that you can use. Keep on reading to learn more.
Inspect Your Living Space
Immediately after the flash flood has receded and you’ve made sure that your living space is safe, proceed with doing a quick inspection. Eyeballing your living space will help you identify and find the water damage left behind by the flood’s wrath.
Check every nook and cranny in your home in order not to miss anything. If you’re dealing with water damage, it’d be helpful for you to seek the services of a water damage expert. With their expertise, they’ll be able to carry out a thorough and accurate inspection of your property. Further, they can prepare a detailed incident report that you can use in filing for insurance claims later on.
Before hiring a water damage company, see for yourself that they’re experts by visiting their company website or looking at their previous clients’ reviews.
Call Your Insurance Provider
After doing an inspection and obtaining an incident report with a water damage company, the next step that you need to do is to call your insurance provider.
Notify your insurance company over the phone that you’ve just recently faced flooding, and you’ll be filing for a claim. After the call, make sure that you comb through your insurance policy to see the coverage guaranteed and covered by your insurer.
Then, proceed with collecting different pieces of evidence that’ll strengthen your claim. You can include the incident report from the water damage specialist, photos and videos of your damaged property, and so on.
Carry Out Necessary Repairs
After undertaking all the official procedures involving your insurance provider, it’s time to proceed with conducting the repairs on your property.
Start by eliminating any water present. Consider seeking the services of a reputable water damage company. They’re experts and have the necessary tools to remove water and high moisture levels in your living premises.
Work with qualified contractors when it comes to flash flood-related repairs. Your choice of contractor should depend on the type of damage left after a flash flood. Holes in your roof require a roofing contractor to repair or replace the roof. Meanwhile, a general contractor is ideal for walls with water damage. They’ll check for structural damage and know the next action to take when doing the repairs.
Verify the qualifications of your chosen contractor first before signing a project agreement with them. Asking to see their certifications and looking at their reviews will help you out.
Seek Financial Support
It’s important to point out that your insurance provider won’t provide all the money you require for repairs and getting back on your feet after a catastrophe like a flash flood.
You’ll need to spend money out-of-pocket when dealing with the aftermath of a flash flood. Your savings will come in handy at this point. However, if it isn’t enough, do seek financial support. Reach out to friends and family for financial assistance. Alternatively, you can sign up for a loan from a lender that specializes in needy clients that are victims of disasters like floods.
Perform Clean Up Efforts
Take an inventory of your belongings. Identify what items are damaged beyond repair and you need to get rid of. For the salvageable ones, put them out to dry and clean them thoroughly for reuse.
Clean up your flood-soaked floor carpeting and furniture. For this, it’d help to seek carpet restoration services and professional cleaning services. They have the right cleaning solutions and expertise for the task.
Then, proceed to clean your living space; begin by looking out for the different classic signs of a mold infestation. Talk to a mold removal expert to help you get rid of the mold in your disaster-stricken house. Next, remove leftover mud, debris, and other gunk brought upon by the recent flash flooding.
Conclusion
Thanks to the points mentioned in this post, dealing with the aftermath of flash floods shouldn’t be a worry anymore. This feature gives you a simple and ready-to-follow guide on what steps you should take after a recent flash flood in your community. Keep all of the ideas mentioned here in mind for future reference.
