Water is a fundamental element for human life and activities, but it can be very harmful to homes. Water damage can cause homeowners all sorts of headaches, both immediately and after flooding. Whether it is flooding or leaking pipes, water damage is often severe, and can have long-term consequences for home health and safety. Follow this guide to stop, repair, and prevent flood damage in your home.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: How to Fix Your Home After a Flood
Step 1. Stop the water supply
If the flood is caused by a break in the water or heating pipes, close the main water inlet tap.
Call an expert right away if you can't figure out where the water is coming from or stop it
Step 2. Disconnect the power from the main panel
If the house is flooded, it is better to turn off the electricity and gas, even if this is not necessary for small water spills, in case of flooding it is always preferable to avoid risks.
- Do not handle live tools or appliances if you are not properly insulated.
- If you have to walk in water to reach the main electrical panel, consult an electrician first.
Step 3. Assess the damage
Before starting to clean up, try to understand if it is worthwhile to proceed with the recovery of the property, and document as much as possible the state of things for any claims with insurance.
Step 4. Retrieve your valuables
If you can do this, find and take everything of value elsewhere - jewelry, cash, and other small, high-value things. Don't waste time looking for individual items or cleaning each one, act quickly to move on to the next step and avoid more serious damage to the structure.
Step 5. Remove the water in the house
The longer you let the water work, the more damage it will do. As soon as it is safe, it pumps or vacuums the water in the house outside. If it is a rainfall flood or flooding of streams, wait for the level to drop to start pumping the water out successfully.
- Wear appropriate protective clothing. If you work in a flooded area, make sure you have rubber boots, gloves, and possibly other more specific equipment.
- Keep children and animals out of the water, which is often dirty or contaminated.
- Place the pump at the lowest point in the house. If the water is high, such as in fully submerged basements, you may need to lower the pump with a rope.
- If you have to deal with little water, perhaps you can rely on a vacuum cleaner suitable for liquids, perhaps emptying it a few times.
Step 6. Clean up the debris
Watch out for any dangerous and sharp objects left by the water.
- The mud that settles after a flood is often loaded with toxins. Carefully remove as much mud as possible, and spray clean water on the walls to clean up where there are traces of dirt. Check to see if mud has infiltrated the ventilation ducts, as it dries up and can still release toxic and harmful substances.
- After a flood, snakes and rodents may seek shelter in the house.
Step 7. Air dry appliances
Do not use any appliance before it is completely dry, and check the instruction manuals for what to do in case of flooding.
Method 2 of 4: Eliminate Mold and Fungi
Step 1. Look for mold
Mold can be visible to the naked eye, but it can also often lurk in ducts and hidden areas. Often, if it is not visible, a smell of wet earth is perceived, an indicator of the presence of mold.
Step 2. Act fast when you find water damage
Mold and fungi begin to form after one or two days of exposure to water, and continue to reproduce until they find humid conditions and are not eradicated with special products.
Step 3. Remove power from the electrical system
If there are moldy cables, turn off the power before cleaning, and have an electrician check the system before restoring the power.
Step 4. Dry the area
Dry the entire affected area carefully to prevent mold from spreading further. The more time passes before everything is dry, the easier and faster the mold spreads.
- Leave the windows open if the weather permits, that is, if it is less humid outside than inside.
- Only use fans if mold hasn't formed yet. Air can help spread mold spores to other areas that may not be touched by flooding.
- Remove wet items, including furniture, rugs, toys, and more.
- Eliminate moldy carpets in landfills. Mold is nearly impossible to remove from carpet fibers, while other items can be sterilized later.
- It also eliminates any contaminated food items, i.e. anything touched by water that is not contained in airtight packaging.
Step 5. Remove moisture from walls and ceilings
If the water has reached the walls, you need to remove any wallpaper, wood paneling, or other porous materials.
- Drywall is very absorbent and must be removed immediately in case of contact with water.
- Clean the walls at least 50 cm above the level reached by the water.
- Pay attention to mold growth on the walls, and get a dehumidifier to draw moisture out of plaster and brick.
- keep under control the possible formation of mold in the days and weeks after flooding.
Step 6. Check how much mold you have to deal with
If the affected areas are too large, contact a specialized company. Contact with mold, even during cleaning, is dangerous due to the concrete possibility of inhaling harmful spores.
- Make sure there is adequate air exchange in the area where you clean.
- Always wear gloves, a mask and eye protection.
Step 7. Clean hard surfaces
Materials such as metal, wood, plastic and glass should be cleaned with warm water and ammonia-free detergent. Bleach eliminates mold effectively. On rough surfaces like concrete, use a stiff bristle brush.
- Use a wet vacuum cleaner to vacuum up any water still on the floor.
- Let a 10% bleach solution sit for at least ten minutes before rinsing or drying.
Step 8. Clean rough surfaces
Furniture, clothing, rugs, books, and more have porous surfaces. If you can't decide whether an item should be kept or thrown, lean towards caution and discard it, or at least quarantine it to determine if mold will form and need to be disposed of later.
Clean the item and then disinfect it with a solvent such as white spirit. Let it dry completely, and observe the item for a few days to check for mold. If mold appears, you will need to discard the object
Step 9. Stop cleaning immediately if you have symptoms of mold exposure
As soon as you feel symptoms, stop and see your family doctor or emergency room first, and then contact a professional remediation service. Symptoms of exposure include:
- Breathing difficulties, including a whistling sound when breathing
- Sinus-like congestion;
- Cough without phlegm;
- Eye irritation;
- Nosebleed
- Skin irritation or injury;
- Headache or memory loss.
Method 3 of 4: Preventing Future Problems
Step 1. Repair your home with water-proof materials
especially in areas at risk of flooding, replace damaged materials with others that are water resistant, such as stone, tiles, concrete, possibly water-proof plasterboard.
- Use stainless steel nails.
- Install outdoor fabrics in basements.
- Use water-proof glues.
Step 2. Check for leaks or cracks
Check the watertight integrity of doors and windows. Try to identify wet areas in whitewashed surfaces, and areas under pressure from expansion in wood surfaces.
- Replace tiles that are broken or not properly secured, paying particular attention to the areas near the chimney and the roof vents.
- Close any cracks in the foundation. The infiltration of water into the foundations can seriously damage the house and compromise its structural integrity.
Step 3. Repair any broken pipes
Leaking pipes, clogged and malfunctioning drains should be repaired or replaced asap.
Check that your washing machine and dishwasher drains are efficient and have no cracks
Step 4. Prevent infiltration
Make sure gutters and drains are properly installed to bring the water out, and that any joints are airtight.
- If the gutters become clogged after a few minutes of heavy rain, you must check the drainage system and, if necessary, intervene to correct the problem.
- Also make sure that the land around the house slopes outwards so that water does not enter the house and foundations.
Step 5. Lift the appliances
If the basement floods frequently, install the appliances on suitable bases to raise them above the water level.
Lift anything that could be damaged: washing machine, dryer, boiler, electrical cables, as well as personal items
Method 4 of 4: Request a Refund
Step 1. Contact your insurer
The sooner you get in touch, the sooner your claim will be considered. Your claim depends on the type of coverage you have taken out, and your insurer will be able to assist you with the procedure.
Step 2. Make a list
Include all damaged and photographed items before you start cleaning. Enter any possible evidence, including photos and footage.
- Notify the insurance for the items you need to delete, which are nonetheless refundable but must be reported to the insurance company.
- Find out if you need to keep items or parts of them until the refund request is complete.
Step 3. Keep all receipts
During the cleaning job, keep any receipts for specific products or services, including any hotel bills where you had to repair yourself during the flood.
