The Do’s and Don’ts After Your Home Floods

Whether your home’s been flooded due to a backed-up sewer or a broken pipe, there are right and wrong ways to approach a flooded home. It’s critically important to know the difference to be able to mitigate the problem effectively. While there’s never a convenient time for water damage, time is not on your side and waiting is not an option. Standing water can damage and ultimately destroy your home if the right action is not taken quickly. At Restoration Now! we understand that the more quickly water is extracted, the less damage it’ll inflict on your home. This is why we strive to be on call 24/7 for any water damage or restoration needs.

Tips from our Restoration Now! Restoration Team

Safety comes first and foremost, so if your house becomes flooded, arrange to have your family and pets stay with a family member or neighbor until help shows up. The second thing to do is call us at Restoration Now! (Restoration Now! Omaha) so we can get on the scene as soon as possible. Below, our restoration team provides some do’s and don’ts in dealing with house floods:

  • Do NOT enter any rooms where you perceive any danger.
  • If the weather is agreeable, open all the windows in your home to allow air to circulate.
  • Do NOT turn on anything electrical in areas that have been flooded.
  • Take whatever you can outside to dry in the sunshine.
  • When using towels to dry your furniture or carpet, use white towels to prevent bleeding.
  • Put some aluminum foil between a wet carpet and furniture legs
  • Do NOT use a regular vacuum cleaner to remove standing water
  • Attempt to prioritize what you remove first, starting with art objects, paintings and priceless photographs.
  • If there’s any sewage in the flooded areas of your home, vacate immediately and leave the cleanup our water damage professionals at Restoration Now! located in Omaha. Remember, this type of contamination is called “black water” which can be exceptionally dangerous to your health.
  • Do NOT turn on any lights or ceiling fans if the ceiling is wet.
  • Colored newspapers, magazines and clothing can discolor wet carpeting or hardwood floors, so make sure to remove them if possible.
  • Remove as much of the water as possible with clean towels, mops and buckets.

Time is of essence with water damage

In dealing with a flooded home action is immediately required to mitigate damage. More so than with any other type of hazard, it’s critically important to act fast when dealing with a floods. The longer water remains stagnant, the more dangerous it becomes and the more damage it inflicts on your home. It goes further than just damaging your belongings, as it can also endanger your home’s structural integrity. Standing water also promotes the growth of bacteria and mold.

The after-effect of unattended an unattended flood

You may not see mold damage coming, but it’s a particularly insidious problem if you’ve experienced a house flood. Most of us have seen a little mold in a bathtub or shower, but that’s nothing compared to having mold on your ceilings or walls. Not only is mold very difficult to remove, but it’s also very dangerous to your health. After a flood, mold can start growing within 24 to 48 hours and a single spore can start a colony. If you see mold on the walls, there’s probably more behind it.

Call Restoration Now! for all home restoration needs

When you’re dealing with a house flood, there’s only one company you need to call and that’s our property restoration specialists at Restoration Now! (402) 502-7277. We specialize in water, smoke, fire and mold. We strive to restore your home and reduce any stress of unexpected emergencies. Short on time? Please feel free to fill out our quick contact form with your basic information and we’ll call you back at your convenience.