Floods are one of those many natural disasters that you have absolutely no control over.
A river close to your property can burst its banks and within minutes your home is knee deep in dirty water.
Dealing with flood damage is not something to take lightly, so many people are killed each year because they are not prepared for the flood and cannot escape in time.
Some household are lucky enough to get out, though it takes time to put the home back together again.
In some cases it can take an extended period before the property is habitable again.
Living with family, staying at a nearby hotel and moving in with friends is not uncommon while a restoration company gets to work, cleaning out your home and fixing the damage left behind.
Floods are probably rated one of the top disasters, they are silent and unexpected.
Floods can also cause considerable damage, yet leave the home standing.
A home can look perfect from the exterior, but step inside and that is where you find the damage from rotting furniture to damp, which eventually leads to mold and some mold spores can be devastating to a person's health.
The first thing you will want to do when you realize your home is flooding is to get out, that's obvious.
If it is a slow flood and you cannot stop the water, but you have time to get out, turn off the power.
As everyone knows electricity and water are not a good combination.
Turning off the power is one of the first things you need to do when you arrive back at the property once the flood has subsided, this reduces the risk of electrocution.
Keep children away from the home until it is completely safe to enter.
Before stepping into the property, be prepared for what you may have to face.
Years of family photographs, valuable items and collectables may have been damaged in the flood.
Make sure the property is structurally sound before stepping through the front door for the first time.
Go around the property and collect items that don't have any water damage.
Items such as photographs in frames that can be saved should be wiped down before adding them to a box.
Remember flood water isn't clean water that enters the home, it has all sorts of contaminates, which is why it's advisable to remove what you can and leave the rest to air.
Wherever possible ventilate the home while you wait for the restoration company to arrive.
The air can assist in drying the walls and floors, reducing the risk of mold.
If the flood has subsided completely and there is no rain in the air, place furniture that has had some flood damage outside, this way they can dry out and you can determine if they are salvageable.
Chances are that the restoration company in your area has a back log of calls,because your home is not the only home that has flood damage.
If you have to wait for a restoration company, you can't stay at a property with flood damage, ensure you lock up the property well before leaving.
Return to the property daily and air it for as long as possible, open all the doors and windows to allow that air flow.
Once a restoration company arrives they will assess the damage and offer you the best solution to get you back in your home in the shortest possible time.
One of the ways a restoration company will assist is to air dry the property, your constant ventilation may assist in speeding up that process.
A river close to your property can burst its banks and within minutes your home is knee deep in dirty water.
Dealing with flood damage is not something to take lightly, so many people are killed each year because they are not prepared for the flood and cannot escape in time.
Some household are lucky enough to get out, though it takes time to put the home back together again.
In some cases it can take an extended period before the property is habitable again.
Living with family, staying at a nearby hotel and moving in with friends is not uncommon while a restoration company gets to work, cleaning out your home and fixing the damage left behind.
Floods are probably rated one of the top disasters, they are silent and unexpected.
Floods can also cause considerable damage, yet leave the home standing.
A home can look perfect from the exterior, but step inside and that is where you find the damage from rotting furniture to damp, which eventually leads to mold and some mold spores can be devastating to a person's health.
The first thing you will want to do when you realize your home is flooding is to get out, that's obvious.
If it is a slow flood and you cannot stop the water, but you have time to get out, turn off the power.
As everyone knows electricity and water are not a good combination.
Turning off the power is one of the first things you need to do when you arrive back at the property once the flood has subsided, this reduces the risk of electrocution.
Keep children away from the home until it is completely safe to enter.
Before stepping into the property, be prepared for what you may have to face.
Years of family photographs, valuable items and collectables may have been damaged in the flood.
Make sure the property is structurally sound before stepping through the front door for the first time.
Go around the property and collect items that don't have any water damage.
Items such as photographs in frames that can be saved should be wiped down before adding them to a box.
Remember flood water isn't clean water that enters the home, it has all sorts of contaminates, which is why it's advisable to remove what you can and leave the rest to air.
Wherever possible ventilate the home while you wait for the restoration company to arrive.
The air can assist in drying the walls and floors, reducing the risk of mold.
If the flood has subsided completely and there is no rain in the air, place furniture that has had some flood damage outside, this way they can dry out and you can determine if they are salvageable.
Chances are that the restoration company in your area has a back log of calls,because your home is not the only home that has flood damage.
If you have to wait for a restoration company, you can't stay at a property with flood damage, ensure you lock up the property well before leaving.
Return to the property daily and air it for as long as possible, open all the doors and windows to allow that air flow.
Once a restoration company arrives they will assess the damage and offer you the best solution to get you back in your home in the shortest possible time.
One of the ways a restoration company will assist is to air dry the property, your constant ventilation may assist in speeding up that process.