The odd weather patterns of recent years have wreaked havoc on our planet. This havoc has come in the form of tornados, tsunamis, earthquakes, and hurricanes. Great floods have occurred as a result of these natural disasters. The raging waters escaping from the ocean, rising rivers, and creek beds have flooded countless thousands of homes leaving the families who lived in the homes devastated by the flood waters that got into and damaged or destroyed all they have. The sad thing is that even with the most attentive home owners, there is not a thing that can be done to protect your self from these kinds of disasters. Even the families who were covered by insurance often found out too late that their particular policies would not cover their flooded homes.
Some people who have their homes flooded come out luckier than others. That is, if any type of flooding can be called lucky. They might actually have a home that is salvageable enough to go back to.
Where does a person begin? First you must assess the damage. Never try to regain access to your home until it is allowed. Danger is everywhere in a flooded area and you can not accurately assess damage until the waters have receded away.
Wear protective clothing and a mask when you reenter your home. Do not go alone if at all possible just in case there is a problem or you get injured. Turn off the breakers in the house even if there is no power restored yet. Call and request that your homeowner's insurance agent meet you at the house. The sooner you contact them the better. If you are covered by your policy, hiring someone to help with the cleanup and repairs will be easier to accomplish. If you find you are not covered, the Red Cross might be able to assist you. They can also look into finding out what sort of help from any other sources might be available. You need to be willing to take all the help you can get.
Mold and damaged floors and walls are some of the most dangerous hazards in flooded homes so you must be very careful. Determine which items can be saved and which ones can not. Remove salvageable items first and try to store them somewhere safe, upstairs in your home is good if possible. Begin removing all items that are not attached that have been destroyed. Remember flood waters are filled with contaminates like sewage, chemicals and many things that are hazardous to your health. if it is really "nasty", throw it away. When this is done you have to get started on the hard stuff. Removing carpeting, damaged sheetrock and wood is next. Some places that are not damaged might still have mold and must be cleaned thoroughly.
Have your home inspected by a qualified professional before moving back in. The effects of major flooding are truly devastating and should be dealt with as quickly as possible. If you have never been affected by a natural disaster such as flooding pray that you never will have to face trying to save what is left of your home.
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