Floods are not only inconvenient, and can cost you a lot of money in repairs but they can pose a significant risk to life. Indeed, flash floods, or even burst pipes that are not attended to can cause a risk of drowning, as well as interact with electricity to make your home a very dangerous place. With that in mind, knowing just how to deal with a flood as a householder is crucial. Keep reading to find out more.
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Evacuate the premises
First of all, it’s important to put the safety and well-being of the residents of your home first. That means evacuating the premises, and making sure your family, loved ones, and pets are all in a safe, dry place. This might be next door if you have a burst pipe in your basement. Although, if you are dealing with a more serious flood such as a flash flood or a river that has burst its banks a safe location may be out of the area, or in a government-designated safe zone.
If possible and safe turn off the water and the electricity
Once you are sure that your building has been fully evacuated, you may wish to consider turning off that water and the electricity. If the flood is coming from your own water supply, then turning it off will help it to stop.
Also, turning off the electricity in a building that is flooding can help to reduce the risk of electrocution for anyone that has to go into the building.
Of course, you should always first consider your own safety before entering a flooded area to turn off the utilities. If you are all concerned about your well-being, then it’s best to leave these tasks to the energy services. Just be sure to warn them that the electricity and water are still on from a safe location to help minimize any risk to the emergency services.
Call for help
While we are on the topic of emergency services, calling them is one of the first things you will need to do if you require rescue or medical aid. Remember in a flood situation it’s best to prioritize people’s safety over the preservation of your property.
Start cleanup
Once your home has been declared safe, and the immediate threat of flooding has passed, it’s time to begin cleaning up the damage that the water has done. This can be a tough job, both physically and emotionally, and that is why many people choose to work with water damage repair experts to get the job done.
Indeed a professional water damage repair service can help you limit the damage to your property and belongings. Getting things back to normal, as quickly and efficiently as possible.
How to prevent flood damage in the future
Once your home has been restored after flood damages it’s a good idea to take steps to make sure you are protected from a similar occurrence. For example, you can minimize the risk of burst pipes by making sure you don’t ignore small leaks and get them fixed asap so they don’t develop into anything more serious.