What Not To Do When Your Home Floods

7/28/2019 (Permalink)

One broken pipe can cause a lot of problems. When you see the telltale signs of water damage in your home in Chesterfield, MO there are specific steps you should take to start the remediation process. There are also a number of things that are important to avoid.

Don't Ignore Safety Precautions

When you approach standing water in home, there is a right way and a wrong way to do it. Avoid potential dangers:

Using electrical appliances in the area

Murky water

Structural Damage

The best course of action is to avoid the area altogether until help arrives. If you must enter the area, however, make sure you wear protective gear and flip the breakers to turn off electricity first.

Don't Cause More Damage

A broken pipe will spew water until it no longer has a source. Neglecting to turn off the water main in a timely manner can cause more damage. Newspaper is absorbent, but it can stain your carpet, creating one more mess to clean up. The same thing goes for brightly colored rugs. Take them out of the space as soon as possible so that they don't bleed onto the floor underneath. 

Don't Try To Fix It Yourself

Although your gut reaction to a problem in your home may be to jump in and fix it, resist the urge to do so. Water restoration professionals have the training to fix the flooding problem and restore your home to its former state. They also have the appropriate licensing to ensure that they are following all the right regulations. If you try to address the issue without these credentials, your insurance is unlikely to cover the extra damage you cause in the process.

When a broken pipe causes damage in your home, your timely response is important. Just make sure you are responding in the right way. Enlist professional help and adhere to safety guidelines to ensure prompt and efficient resolution.