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.
Water can come from inside as well as outside of a building. External sources can include flood conditions, heavy rainfall, or a sewer main backing up. Internal causes of flooding can include ruptured hot water tanks and burst pipes. Often, internal sources will mean that you are dealing with clean water whereas external sources may mean that there is contamination issues at play as well.
Figuring out where the water is coming from is the first step. Once you know, you can take steps to stop it. This may mean shutting off the water main or the flow of water to your hot water tank. It may be more difficult to deal with an influx from a sewer back up or from heavy rainfall. It can be a good idea to look at your basement and identify where to shut off mains or where there may be drainage issues and head off this issue before you experience any problems.
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.
Part of the insurance process will include assessing the damage. This usually consists of someone with experience in this area coming to your home and taking pictures of your effects and your house's structure. Make sure you find out what kind of coverage they will give you for restoration and which companies they want you to work with. The restoration process may take some time and you should be prepared to have your basement be out of commission for some time.
By learning the causes for flooding in a basement as well as how to talk to insurance agents and deal with restoration companies, you may find that you turn a stressful experience to one that is unpleasant but still very manageable.
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.
Water can come from inside as well as outside of a building. External sources can include flood conditions, heavy rainfall, or a sewer main backing up. Internal causes of flooding can include ruptured hot water tanks and burst pipes. Often, internal sources will mean that you are dealing with clean water whereas external sources may mean that there is contamination issues at play as well.
Figuring out where the water is coming from is the first step. Once you know, you can take steps to stop it. This may mean shutting off the water main or the flow of water to your hot water tank. It may be more difficult to deal with an influx from a sewer back up or from heavy rainfall. It can be a good idea to look at your basement and identify where to shut off mains or where there may be drainage issues and head off this issue before you experience any problems.
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.
Part of the insurance process will include assessing the damage. This usually consists of someone with experience in this area coming to your home and taking pictures of your effects and your house's structure. Make sure you find out what kind of coverage they will give you for restoration and which companies they want you to work with. The restoration process may take some time and you should be prepared to have your basement be out of commission for some time.
By learning the causes for flooding in a basement as well as how to talk to insurance agents and deal with restoration companies, you may find that you turn a stressful experience to one that is unpleasant but still very manageable.
About the Author:
If you are seeking water damage restoration for your home, it is time to contact the experts. For local flooded basement help, make sure you refer to this website at http://aaronsrestoration.com/water-damage-michigan/flooded-basement-lake-angelus/.
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