Your residence has been devastated by a flood. This is a heart breaking experience to endure. Once the disbelief has passed, it is time to take action. If this has not happened before it is possible that you are at a loss as to where to begin. Don't try to reenter the residence until the flood danger has passed and the water has receded significantly. In the intervening time you should call your homeowner's insurance agent to inform them of the flood and begin an insurance claim. How you go about handling the restoration of your abode will depend on whether you have flood insurance coverage or not. If you do have insurance you should employ competent professionals to handle most aspects of the cleanup and restoration of your place. If you don't have flood protection or the protection you do have won't cover all of the restoration, then read on.

There are several things to do before you even set foot in your residence. Be sure Be certain that the home is structurally secure before anyone goes into it. You may need to seek professional advice to be sure the home is steady. Be certain that the electricity to the house is shut off and cannot be rotated back on before you go in and do the same with the gas lines going to the residence. If gas and electricity are not handled the right way the result could be injurious or even deadly.

When you go into the place wear protective coveralls, gloves, boots, and a heap mask because there could be mold and there will most definitely be sewage and another unsafe waste deposited with the flood water. Before you begin any cleanup be sure to snap pictures of all the damage and then keep careful records of all the things you clean or fixed and the costs involved. Remember to hold on to all your receipts. Begin by checking every place for bugs, snakes, and additional creatures who may have ended up in your house after being displaced by the flood.

The next thing that has to be done is to open all the doors and windows to let air move around. Remove all the household belongings and decide what to try to restore and what to throw away. Be sure to throw out any of the mattresses that have gotten wet as these will not be salvageable. Then, remove all the carpeting and cushioning. Get rid of the cushioning and the carpeting as well if at all possible.

Take away the water damaged area of the walls. The drywall should be taken out at least one foot above the flood water line. Remove any wet insulation from the walls, cleanse the studs and joists with bleach and let everything dry out completely. This could take weeks. Remove any damaged floors and clean and disinfect what can be salvaged and again let everything dry thoroughly.

Cleanse and disinfect all the porcelain and fixtures in the house. Disinfect the countertops and cabinets and drawers. Employ someone to wash, inspect, and do any repairs to the appliances before using them. Go outdoors and disinfect and clean any furnishings that you want to keep. Most of all just be aware that it will take an extended time to fix the home back to a fully livable condition.