Flood Damage Cleanup | What You Need to Do Before Flood Damage Cleanup

Flood Damage Cleanup | Floods are a reality of coastal living, and lately, it seems like the mid-Atlantic flooding on the East coast is becoming a way of life with heavy tropical storms dropping inches of rain onto towns like Charleston. If you experience a disaster that requires flood damage cleanup, all is not lost, however, there are a few things you need to do before the cleanup process can start.

1. Turn off the Power- Entering a flooded room while there is still electricity running to the room is asking for an even bigger disaster. If your home or basement begins to flood, turn off the power to that area of the house (should be indicated on breaker box) if the breaker box is located in the same room as the flood, do not enter the room until a certified electrician or the power company can shut off the power.

2. Determine the Source- If you need flood damage cleanup due to a storm, there isn’t a whole lot you can do until the storm passes and the water recedes. If the flooding is caused by a burst pipe, toilet flooding, or other home problem, turn off the water immediately to stop further flooding.

3. Call A Professional- If the water and electricity are off, it’s time to call a professional flood damage cleanup company. An inspector will come out to your home and give you an estimate on the extent of damage, and the time and cost to clean it up.

4. Start Immediately- As long as your water and electricity to the room are off, if the flooding is not so significant that you could be injured in the room, you can start taking your property out of the basement and getting it to another area to start drying out. The longer the items stay submerged in the water, the less likely they are to be salvaged.

If you need flood damage cleanup, call ServiceMaster of Charleston at 843-760-0404 or request a quote here.