Your house has been devastated by a flood. This is a heart breaking experience to tolerate. 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 start. Don't try to reenter the residence until the flood danger has passed and the water has receded significantly. In the period in between you should contact your homeowner's insurance company to inform them of the flooding and start an insurance claim. How you go about managing the restoration of your abode will depend on whether you have flood insurance coverage or not. If you do have coverage you should employ qualified professionals to deal with most aspects of the cleanup and restoration of your residence. If you don't have flood coverage or the coverage you do have won't guarantee all of the restoration, then read on.

There are several things to do before you even set foot in your house. Make sure that the house is structurally safe before anyone goes into it. You may need to look for expert advice to be certain the residence is stable. Be sure that the energy to the home is kept off and cannot be turned back on before you enter and do the same with the gas lines leading to the house. If gas and energy are not handled correctly the product could be injurious or even deadly.

When you enter the house wear protective coveralls, gloves, boots, and a heap mask because there could be mold and there will most definitely be sewage and additional dangerous waste deposited with the flood water. Before you begin any cleanup be certain to take pictures of all the damage and then keep careful records of all the things you clean or repaired and the costs involved. Bear in mind to keep all your receipts. Begin by checking all over for bugs, snakes, and additional creatures who may have ended up in your residence 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 circulate. Take all the household belongings and decide what to try to restore and what to throw away. Make sure to get rid of any of the mattresses that have become wet as these will not be salvageable. Then, get rid of all the carpeting and cushioning. Dispose the cushioning and the carpet as well if at all possible.

Get rid of the water damaged area of the walls. The drywall should be taken out at least one twelve inches above the flood water line. Do away with any wet padding from the walls, wash the studs and joists with bleach and let everything dry out completely. This could take weeks. Remove any damaged flooring and clean and disinfect what can be saved and again let everything dry thoroughly.

Cleanse and disinfect all the porcelain and fixtures in the home. 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 conscious that it will take an extended time to fix the residence back to a fully livable state.