Flood Repair Team Blog

Although it’s easy to call a water damage specialist, there’s a lot you can do on your own to clean your flooded basement and preserve your home. With a flood mess, acting quickly and tactfully is essential to prevent mold from growing and destroying the foundation of your home. To help prepare you for such a situation, we have compiled these easy tips to clean a flooded basement.

1. Assess the Damage
Before trying to clean anything, take a good look at your flood-damaged area. Take note of how much water is present, and how long it’s been sitting there. If there is a large amount of water, you might want to consider the likelihood of you taking care of the removal on your own. Is a water removal specialist required?

2. Turn Power Off
Before touching or entering any floodwater, find a big flashlight and turn the power off. If the flood already knocked out your power, make sure the switch gets turned to off anyways just in case the power returns. This also means of course you won’t have power to use water pumps or fans, and a portable power source or generator will be required.

3. Gear Up
For your safety, wear appropriate attire when cleaning out water and debris. You’ll want a good pair of gloves, a dust mask, boots or hip waders, and goggles. If you don’t have appropriate gear, you’ll want to borrow or purchase some. Floodwater and debris can be dangerous to your health and all precautions are necessary.

4. Locate Entrances
Try to find any and all entrances for floodwater in the basement. Whether water is still getting in or not, make sure they’re closed off so there’s no chance of your basement re-filling like a fountain. This step is important and can save you a lot of time.

5. Extract Water
Before you can even think about cleaning, you need to get the sitting water out! The longer you leave water sitting, the more likely your home is getting structurally damaged. If you have a sump pump, use it. If not, consider renting or borrowing a wet shop vac if you don’t own one, or just have friends help you bail out water with anything you can find. Do whatever you can to get the water out as soon as possible, time is of the essence and every minute counts.

6. Ventilate
To Help with he drying process, find any source of ventilation possible. If it’s not raining, open up all the doors and windows to obtain airflow. If you have a powerful enough generator, plug in fans. This will also help prevent mold from forming in your basement and damaging your home.

7. Remove Objects
After most of the water is removed, remove most or all objects in basement. Make two piles, a keep and throw away. Some items, such as furniture, have very little chance of surviving a flood without being ruined and can be put aside right away. You may want friends and family to help you with this step, as it can be a hard and emotional task.

8. Clean Debris
Remove any debris, mud, or remaining water with a shovel or whatever you can find. Hose down all the walls to remove any unsanitary debris or silt, and wipe them down with rags. Once you have shoveled, mopped, scrubbed, and swept, make or buy a disinfecting solution. If you have bleach in the house, a cup of bleach to a gallon of water will work.

Purchasing flood insurance is not something you want to rush. To properly protect your investments you should take the time to properly prepare before purchasing flood insurance, as rates limits and coverage alter drastically between insurance companies. To help you prepare for your search, please enjoy the following list of tips for finding the right flood insurance.

1. Assess your Home’s Risk
A nation wide insurance company stated that one third of the flood claims they get come from homes not in a flood prone area. It’s important to consider your real risk for a flood of any kind, and how high if a risk it is. Depending on your homes propensity to flood, the policy you choose should adjust to it accordingly. You can go to the governments flood site, FloodSmart.com, to get a better idea of your homes risk for flooding as well as some estimates for price ranges you should be expecting.

2. Don’t Wait
It takes awhile to finalize the process of getting flood insurance, and if a flood occurs during that process it’s not likely that you will receive coverage. If you are considering this type of insurance, then make sure you plan to purchase it well before flood or even rain season. Unfortunately, the majority of homes in Louisiana had no flood insurance during hurricane Katrina, and government handouts only go so far.

3. Educate Yourself on Limits
Before signing anything, make sure you know your home well and they type of flood damage it could incur. Then carefully evaluate your flood insurance proposal and make sure you are fully covered for any and every area of concern. While some insurance companies have limits to the amount they’ll refund you for damages, some will cover your home and it’s possessions to the full extent. Do not be afraid to ask questions, express concerns, or criticize rates and limits. This is your home, life, and family you’re dealing with so it’s okay to be a little pushy to make sure you’re getting what you want when you pay for it.

4. Ask About Rate Increases
No one wants to think about their rates increasing in the future when they’re first taking on a new bill, but it is important to remember that your flood insurance rates could very likely rise and you will be expected to pay the difference. Luckily, now that you know this you can take a look at rate limits for each insurance company you consider, and factor them in.

5. Preparation is Key
The more knowledgeable and prepared you are when choosing flood insurance, the more likely you are to make the perfect choice for you. Before going in to question agents, make a list of things you’d like to ask and know. It’s easy to get flustered and forget important things when you’re talking to a smooth talking insurance agent who knows how to make a sale. Know what exactly you’d like protected from a potential flood (just the home, or all possessions or vehicles as well?) and what your budget is. Look online before going out to et a good idea for insurance rates for your area.

6. Ask Neighbors
Don’t be shy to ask neighbors and friends living nearby if they have flood insurance and which company they purchased it from. Make sure to ask multiple questions from overall satisfaction, to reliability and rates. The best reviews are from the customers themselves as opposed to the company trying to sell their stuff.

7. Do Not Rely on Handouts
Although it’s true people living in high-risk areas have the right to government aid in a natural disaster, they aid is very limited. Very limited. If you live in one of theses areas and thus think you don’t need insurance, know that you’ll receive some help but you may lose your home and possessions in the process, as the government is not likely to replace them.

Purchasing flood insurance is not something you want to rush. To properly protect your investments you should take the time to properly prepare before purchasing flood insurance, as rates limits and coverage alter drastically between insurance companies. To help you prepare for your search, please enjoy the following list of tips for finding the right flood insurance.

1. Assess your Home’s Risk
A nation wide insurance company stated that one third of the flood claims they get come from homes not in a flood prone area. It’s important to consider your real risk for a flood of any kind, and how high if a risk it is. Depending on your homes propensity to flood, the policy you choose should adjust to it accordingly. You can go to the governments flood site, FloodSmart.com, to get a better idea of your homes risk for flooding as well as some estimates for price ranges you should be expecting.

2. Don’t Wait
It takes awhile to finalize the process of getting flood insurance, and if a flood occurs during that process it’s not likely that you will receive coverage. If you are considering this type of insurance, then make sure you plan to purchase it well before flood or even rain season. Unfortunately, the majority of homes in Louisiana had no flood insurance during hurricane Katrina, and government handouts only go so far.

3. Educate Yourself on Limits
Before signing anything, make sure you know your home well and they type of flood damage it could incur. Then carefully evaluate your flood insurance proposal and make sure you are fully covered for any and every area of concern. While some insurance companies have limits to the amount they’ll refund you for damages, some will cover your home and it’s possessions to the full extent. Do not be afraid to ask questions, express concerns, or criticize rates and limits. This is your home, life, and family you’re dealing with so it’s okay to be a little pushy to make sure you’re getting what you want when you pay for it.

4. Ask About Rate Increases
No one wants to think about their rates increasing in the future when they’re first taking on a new bill, but it is important to remember that your flood insurance rates could very likely rise and you will be expected to pay the difference. Luckily, now that you know this you can take a look at rate limits for each insurance company you consider, and factor them in.

5. Preparation is Key
The more knowledgeable and prepared you are when choosing flood insurance, the more likely you are to make the perfect choice for you. Before going in to question agents, make a list of things you’d like to ask and know. It’s easy to get flustered and forget important things when you’re talking to a smooth talking insurance agent who knows how to make a sale. Know what exactly you’d like protected from a potential flood (just the home, or all possessions or vehicles as well?) and what your budget is. Look online before going out to et a good idea for insurance rates for your area.

6. Ask Neighbors
Don’t be shy to ask neighbors and friends living nearby if they have flood insurance and which company they purchased it from. Make sure to ask multiple questions from overall satisfaction, to reliability and rates. The best reviews are from the customers themselves as opposed to the company trying to sell their stuff.

7. Do Not Rely on Handouts
Although it’s true people living in high-risk areas have the right to government aid in a natural disaster, they aid is very limited. Very limited. If you live in one of theses areas and thus think you don’t need insurance, know that you’ll receive some help but you may lose your home and possessions in the process, as the government is not likely to replace them.

After a devastating flood, the last thing you want think about is acting fast. To help prepare you for the possibility, read this list of 10 ways to repair and recover after a flood, from the restoration experts at Water Damage Team.

1. Be Prepared
Just in case you do not have the time or means to call a professional right away, it is good to be prepared for emergency flood situations. Always have a mop and plenty of towels around, and keep birth certificates, etc. in an airtight waterproof container.

2. Electricity
Before beginning any serious flood damage repair, make sure you turn off the power first and foremost. Trying to repair water damage with the electricity turned on is very dangerous.

3. Act Fast
Once you have turned off the electricity, it’s important to get as much water out as possible as fast as possible. Use Buckets, towels, mops, shovels, or anything the situation demands to get as much water off of the carpet, walls, and floors as possible. Dealing with this water immediately could save you thousands in water damage.

4. Remove Soiled Items
It’s a hard thing to do, but beginning a trash can of soiled items will make the job easier. Anything destroyed by water or still absorbing water must be thrown out to prevent further damage.

5. Get a Safe Place
On the flip side, all undamaged household items should be removed as well. Renting a hauling truck or trailer and putting your beloved items in a dry, safe place can save more time and money.

6. Fans
The best way to prevent water damage from becoming a major mold problem is air movement. Having an air mover would be the most efficient way, but make do with plenty of fans until professionals arrive.

7. Wipe Down Walls
After you’ve removed as much water as possible, take any clean towels or blankets and get as much water off the walls as possible. This could help prevent structural damage.

8. Begin Small Repairs
After you’ve removed and dried as much as you can, begin small repairs around the damaged areas. Also, check all windows and doors for water build-up.

9. Ventilate
When all is said and done, open every door, window, cupboard and drawer to air out (as long as it’s not raining) to get fresh air flowing through the house and keep the drying process going.

10. Call a professional
Even if you can deal with most of the problem by yourself, there is always the risk of unseen damage. Before, during, or after the damage occurs make sure to call a water damage specialist or team to come look at your situation as well.

id you know that your homeowners insurance does not cover water damage due to natural flooding? Overflowing rivers, tidal surges, city storm drain backups, and storm driven rain may flood your home but unless you have specific coverage against these perils, you’re likely on your own.

In addition to natural flood disasters, your homeowner’s insurance policy most likely specifically excludes flooding due to sewer backups and “seepage.” Some insurance companies do offer special endorsements for coverage due to sewer backups. If you want this type of coverage, call your insurance agent and see if it’s available. Water seepage is considered a maintenance issue and is not generally covered by insurance. Your best protection against water seepage is to evaluate and maintain your home.

Flood insurance is available to cover your home against flooding. This type of insurance is often referred to as a “single peril” policy. The National Flood Insurance Program offers policies covering natural flooding such as storm surges, snow melt, heavy rains, levee failures, blocked storm drains, and other flood events. However, a flood must be significant enough in order for the flood insurance to kick in. For example, the floodwaters must either affect two or more properties or cover at least two acres.

Some lenders require flood insurance policies, normally if you live within a designated flood plain. Flood hazard maps are used to determine a property’s risk. High risk properties need a standard policy.

If you don’t live in a flood plain, you probably won’t be required to obtain a flood insurance policy. However, flood insurance is available for low to moderate risk properties. Nearly 25% of all flood insurance claims are located in these lower risk areas. Policies for low-to-moderate risk properties are less expensive. These policies are called “preferred risk” policies.

You can purchase flood insurance from your own insurance agent or locate an approved insurance agent through the FloodSmart.gov Web site. Shopping around for flood insurance isn’t necessary because rates are set by the National Flood Insurance Program and are based on flood maps.

An interesting note if you’re considering buying flood insurance is that there is a 30-day waiting period before your policy goes into effect. You can’t look at the weather report and decide to buy flood insurance just before a hurricane makes landfall. The two exceptions to this waiting period are when the initial purchase is made in conjunction with certain loans in high risk areas or when the initial purchase is made within a year of a flood map change.

Water damage can and will occur regardless of whether you have flood insurance. Having the right type of policy can help you pay for repairs. The Dryout Network is experienced at drying out and restoring your water damaged home or business as well as working with the various insurance claims processes.

Credit: Mr. Mark Decherd

If you are unprepared for a flood then it can cost you thousands of dollars in unnecessary damage repair bills. By following these 18 simple tips you can get and stay prepared for future floods.

1. Install weather stripping to all doors and windows.

2. Fasten exterior items securely to your home to prevent them from becoming flying debris. Move loose items indoors.

3. Make sure the electric panel/fuse box is elevated above previous flood levels.

4. Make sure the furnace, water heater, washer, dryer and other items in the basement are located off the floor and elevated above previous flood levels.

5. Develop a family evacuation plan and practice it once a year.

6. Keep some cash and a copy of important papers, such as identification, wills, insurance policies and financial records, in a portable waterproof and fireproof container.

7. Inspect your roof for damaged shingles or flashing and remove debris.

8. The Federal Emergency Management Agency recommends you take pictures of valuable possessions and store important documents where they can’t be damaged.

9. Know how and when to shut off utilities: Electricity, gas, and water.

10. Find out how to get local warning information, such as outdoor warning sirens or cable TV override systems.

11. Put plugs into sinks and weigh them down with something heavy.

12. Install head and foot bolts on the inactive door of double-entry doors.

13. Check with your local building supplier or garage door retailer to see if a retrofit kit is available for your garage door.

14. Plug basement floor drains with removable grids.

15. Unbolt toilets from the floor and plug the outlet pipe using the same procedure as for floor drains. Shower drains can be plugged this way too.

16. Shut off appliances at the fuse box or breaker panel. Put freezers, washer, dryers and other appliances up on wood or cement blocks to keep the motors above the water level.

17. Move hazardous materials to higher locations. This includes paint, oil, cleaning supplies and other dangerous materials.

18. Discuss safe emergency procedures. Teach adults and older children where electric fuses are.

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