Now it's time to look at your job site and look for risks beyond your capabilities as a DIY homeowner. Taking care to assess the entire situation upfront can help you rule out work that is not to stay for responsible to do on your own.
Structural Integrity
Do not answer the home until a professional has inspected it and determined it is safe if you detect any signs of structural damage.
Electrical Safety
Have an electrician or the utility company inspect your service before using it. Until somebody qualifies gives you the green light to proceed, the main breaker should remain turned off.
Natural Gas Safety
If your home has natural gas as a heating source, remember to have the natural gas system inspected. While natural gas would usually have an odor added to it to save lives, wearing heavy respirators May prevent you from detecting a potentially fatal health risk period So do not skip this step if you have natural gas to your home
Plumbing Condition
Especially after deep freezing temperatures, the risk of Plumbing fixtures and pipes springing leaks, cracks, or holes is significant. Adding more water to an already compromised home is added danger, so contact a plumber immediately to prepare for any damage to your plumbing.
Water Safety
Always check for local government officials or your water utility company advisories on your water quality if you use a municipal water source. If you use a well, contact a well-drilling company or another qualified specialist about determining the safety of your water supply for drinking after severe flooding. There is a serious risk of contamination and that can pose a life-threatening risk if you consume the water.
Sewage Safety
Raw sewage can pose an extremely serious health risk. If you detect that a toilet or sewer pipe has any cracks or compromises contact a plumber immediately.
Heating and Air Conditioning Safety
If your HVAC unit was flooded, mold spores can spread inside of the units, causing toxic particles to be spread throughout your home by your heating or air-conditioning. Contact your HVAC professional to inspect, clean, or replace the system if necessary.
Tips for Working With Your Insurance adjuster
After a storm, it is important to look up at the roof signs of damage and leaks. Every drop of water allowed to answer your home through a roof leak poses a significant health risk and increases repair costs.
Take plenty of detailed photos right away for insurance purposes. Well, you must contact your insurance company immediately, it is not necessary to wait for them to send an adjuster to your home to begin to clean up.
The sooner you can safely remove moldy and what items, the better you will be in the long run, so exercise good judgment and make sure you can document everything that happened to your home and belongings to show your insurance adjuster.
Pay attention to the calendar as well. It can be assumed that there is mold contamination if a building was wet or submerged in water for more than 2 days. But on the other hand, it does not take 2 days for mold growth to set in. So watch for signs of water damage and the strong smell of mold or mildew during your clean-up and take precautions as if you are in an environment with toxic exposure.
When looking for mold and water damage, pay attention to how far up the walls evidence of damage has occurred. Is it limited to only the first floor or the basement? Can the flood contamination B sealed off from the rest of the home if you act soon enough? Is there still standing water right now that must be pumped out or mopped out? Taking time to fully consider just how bad the damage is and whether you can protect other parts of the home is an important step to avoid waste and loss.
While assessing the situation, remember to think about more than only the floors and walls. A great deal of cost and potential mold contamination risk lies within wooden Cabinetry and large appliances that can Harbor mold spores long after your walls and floors have been dried out and cleaned up.
Likewise, upholstered furniture and other furnishings and carpet may or may not be saved. And these costs can add when discussing your losses with an insurance adjuster. Small appliances, Electronics, paper and books, food pantry items, and collectibles and keepsakes that are hard to put a value on are all part of the conversation with an adjuster and require accurate and clear photos and documentation.
Sometimes homeowners may forget to factor in the cost of replacing important documents When approaching their homeowner’s insurance adjuster. Obtaining official legal copies of certain documents has sometimes a hefty price associated with it so be sure to factor in the cost of legal document replacement as well as treasure photo restoration.