Flooding is one of the most devastating, damaging disasters that can possibly happen to a homeowner. In most situations, flooding happens completely unexpectedly. It catches you off guard and unprepared to deal with the situation. When your house floods, there are several steps you should take quickly to avoid any unneeded extra damage, protect your health, and submit a claim with your insurance company.
Safety First
Water is very dangerous, especially unexpected floodwater. Obviously, there is an increased risk of drowning when water shows up where it’s unexpected. But there’s also the possibility of bacteria in the water, especially if an appliance breaks, pipes burst, or sewer systems malfunction. It’s best to not attempt to clean up water yourself. Instead, call in a professional who has experience and protective measures.
Why Home Floods Happen
There are several different reasons your home might flood. In fact, home flooding is probably a lot more common than you’d expect. The most predictable time flooding happens is during the monsoons. While most major weather conditions can be forecast days in advance, a home flood isn’t always predictable. Consider a burst pipe, malfunctioning sump pump, or overflowing dishwasher.
The trick, of course, is to be ready when your house floods. Your first response might be to panic, so keep this checklist close.
- Get all loved ones (including pets!) clear of the flooded home. Remember, safety first.
- For floods not caused by rain, shut off the water main to your house as soon as possible.
- Take pictures and/or video to document the damage for insurance purposes.
- Locate the source of the flood so you know whom to call for assistance (e.g., public utility, plumber).
- Call your insurance company to start a claim. Share the photos and videos you took.
- Call your Michigan flood damage and restoration company to start the cleanup process.
Be Prepared When Your House Floods
It’s definitely important to stay ahead of your home’s regular maintenance needs to avoid floods. But sometimes, even with perfect preparation, problems happen. That’s when you need to be level headed and take the proper steps to curtail the flood and start getting your home back in order.
A checklist is your first step to remember what to do when you come home to an overflowing washing machine or burst pipe. Next, it’s important to remember what number to call to get help. You probably have your insurance company or agent programmed in your phone already, but do you have your Michigan restoration company in there?
Before you’re faced with a home flood, put Doan Restoration in your phone right now: 586-842-8142. We are a family-owned restoration company serving the Michigan and Tucson areas. We help with everything from the initial insurance claim to painting and getting everything back to how it was before the disaster.
Although we know you don’t look forward to when your house floods, but if it does happen, you can trust you have the best partners in your corner.
