It can be devastating to come home after a flood. Your home may be damaged or destroyed, and your belongings may be ruined. It’s truly one of the most devastating losses there is. We’ve compiled some ways to help restore your home and your life after a flood.
A Difficult Thing to Swallow
The first, and often most emotionally draining, step is to assess the damage. It can feel overwhelming to see everything you’ve worked for and collected soaking in water. If your home has been completely flooded, you’ll need to hire a professional to assess the damage and make repairs. If only part of your home was flooded, you may be able to do some of the repairs yourself.
Time to Dig In
Once you’ve assessed the damage, it’s time to start cleaning up. This is a big job, but it’s important to get rid of all the water and moisture from your home to prevent mold and mildew from growing. You’ll need to remove all the wet carpeting, drywall, insulation, and any other materials that have been soaked. This can be a daunting and expensive task that some prefer to leave to a professional company like ServiceMaster Restore, which specializes in handling these types of disasters from start to finish. They are extremely effective at getting things done quickly because they do it every day, and because there is no emotional tie to what has happened. That doesn’t mean they don’t understand that tie, and with every task they handle your home and belongings with care, taking the time to rescue anything precious, or salvageable.
If you choose to do the job yourself, you’ll need to arrange for the disposal of the damaged materials, as well as renting or buying fans, dehumidifiers, and other equipment to dry out your home. It’s important to dry out your home as quickly as possible to prevent further damage and mold growth. Depending on the extent of the flood and the type of water that has been absorbed into your home, this may involve disposing of large items like furniture, food, flooring, and possibly some wall materials.
Putting it All Back Together
Once everything is dry, you can start the process of putting your home back together. If you’ve had to remove any drywall or other materials, you’ll need to replace them. This may be something you can do yourself, or you may need to hire a contractor. If your carpet has been soaked, you may be able to clean and dry it, but in many cases, it will need to be replaced.
After you’ve removed all the wet materials, you’ll need to disinfect your home to kill any bacteria or viruses that may be present. Once your home is clean and dry, you can start to put your belongings back in place.
Although it’s a difficult and often overwhelming process, it is possible to restore your home after flooding. With some hard work and determination, you can get your home back to the way it was before the flood.
