Anyone who owns a home knows that there can be many problems that you can face. One of the most frustrating and frightening is a flooded basement. By knowing what to look for when this occurs, how to speak with your insurance agent and what may be involved when dealing with a restoration company you can meet this issue head on should it ever affect your house.
When people think of flooding in a home's basement, they may think that just because their home sits high and dry that this will not end up being an issue that they have to deal with. This is not the case however. The fact is that there are many reasons why you may end up with more water than you like in your home.
If you do experience an event like this, you need to be aware of how far reaching the effects can be. The most obvious is that the water can damage furniture, electronics and personal effects. The next is that the flood can seep into walls, flooring and other areas and this can lead to problems down the road. Mildew, mold and even excess structural damage can cause problems months or years later.
One common cause is a burst pipe. You may also find yourself dealing with excess water if you have been experiencing heavy rainfall. Still other people may find that their hot water tank has ruptured and that water has flowed from it into their basement. If you are lucky, you are dealing with clean water although this is not always the case.
You need to know what the source of the flood is. This will give you an idea of how to minimize the water infiltration or even stop it as quickly as possible. You can always turn off main switches to the house should a pipe burst. You can also turn off the supply to a water tank in order to stop a flood from getting worse.
Calling your insurance company should be the next step. You need to know how they want you to handle the situation. You should also ask them if there are specific restoration companies they work with as this may make it easier for you to get payment issued when the restoration process is taking place. Keep in mind that this can be a very lengthy process.
Do not be surprised if your agent or an assessment specialist turns up at your home. The company will want to see the damage for themselves and may ask you a number of questions about what happened. Do not be stressed out by this although some questions may seem intrusive or very detailed. At this time, it can be helpful to take pictures and have a list of items that have been damaged.
You may find that you never have to deal with flooding but you cannot expect that you will avoid this issue. If you know how to handle the situation it won't be hard for you to get the kind of repairs you need and that your problems are dealt with as quickly as possible.
When people think of flooding in a home's basement, they may think that just because their home sits high and dry that this will not end up being an issue that they have to deal with. This is not the case however. The fact is that there are many reasons why you may end up with more water than you like in your home.
If you do experience an event like this, you need to be aware of how far reaching the effects can be. The most obvious is that the water can damage furniture, electronics and personal effects. The next is that the flood can seep into walls, flooring and other areas and this can lead to problems down the road. Mildew, mold and even excess structural damage can cause problems months or years later.
One common cause is a burst pipe. You may also find yourself dealing with excess water if you have been experiencing heavy rainfall. Still other people may find that their hot water tank has ruptured and that water has flowed from it into their basement. If you are lucky, you are dealing with clean water although this is not always the case.
You need to know what the source of the flood is. This will give you an idea of how to minimize the water infiltration or even stop it as quickly as possible. You can always turn off main switches to the house should a pipe burst. You can also turn off the supply to a water tank in order to stop a flood from getting worse.
Calling your insurance company should be the next step. You need to know how they want you to handle the situation. You should also ask them if there are specific restoration companies they work with as this may make it easier for you to get payment issued when the restoration process is taking place. Keep in mind that this can be a very lengthy process.
Do not be surprised if your agent or an assessment specialist turns up at your home. The company will want to see the damage for themselves and may ask you a number of questions about what happened. Do not be stressed out by this although some questions may seem intrusive or very detailed. At this time, it can be helpful to take pictures and have a list of items that have been damaged.
You may find that you never have to deal with flooding but you cannot expect that you will avoid this issue. If you know how to handle the situation it won't be hard for you to get the kind of repairs you need and that your problems are dealt with as quickly as possible.
About the Author:
If you have water damage in your home, it is time to contact the professionals. For flooded basement and water damage solutions, make sure you refer to this web page right now at http://aaronsrestoration.com/water-damage-michigan/flooded-basement-grosse-pointe/.
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