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Living through a flood as a family can be terrifying and very disheartening. You may end up fearing that your home will be a total loss once the waters recede and you can can get back inside. However, there may still be hope even after all the damage has been done. There are a few steps you can take to getting you and your house back on your feet after a flood, even if that means overcoming the damage done by the water.

Protect Your Family and Valuables

After a flood, it’s important to quickly take steps to protect your family and belongings. Protect your family by turning off the power. If your home is flooded, electrocution is a real danger. You should also provide your family with protective gear like boots and gloves when going back into the house. If you get a cut, it could be very dangerous due to the bacteria in the flood water. Try to retrieve or move valuables that cannot be easily replaced. However, if the flooding is serious, forget about even doing that and escape to higher ground immediately if possible. Otherwise, you may need to wait for rescue on a higher floor.

Call Your Insurer

After the waters reced and you’re able to start the cleanup and damage control process, it’s best to put in a call your insurance company and file a claim as soon as you can. The damage may be covered by your homeowners’ insurance policy, especially if you live in an area prone to flooding. If the flooding was caused by a natural disaster such as a river overflowing, it may instead be covered by flood insurance. In fact, if you live in a flood plain, it’s a very good idea to buy flood insurance. It’s worth every penny and can help you replace everything that was lost. If your home was flooded thanks to a burst pipe or some other problem with your plumbing or home, it’s likely that the damage can be covered with your homeowner’s insurance policy. Don’t be afraid to ask which policies will cover different scenarios and what they can do for you.

Obtain Water Damage Clean-Up Services

Thankfully, many kinds of flood damage can be repaired. You can hire a company that specializes in water damage clean-up services. Some of the methods used to clean up the damage can be quite a high tech such as the use of biodegradable chemicals, HEPA air scrubbers, and turbo air movers. The goal of the cleaning should be to remove water, humidity, mold, and mildew from your home. This may require removing drywall and insulation to prevent mold and mildew from growing. Furniture can be dried and cleaned. Overall, this will require a lot of work and technical expertise.

Floods can do extensive damage to homes. Thankfully, there are steps you can take to help reverse the damage. This can include utilizing your insurance coverage and obtaining water damage clean-up services. Do what you can to protect your family, home and belongings. Act quickly or it may be too late.

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