Flooding of an apartment, whether due to the fault of neighbors above or because of a leaking pipe, is an extremely unpleasant situation in any case. And the problem is aggravated by the fact that it needs to be solved urgently, without putting it off for a long time. The sooner, the less dire the consequences will be, and the family will return to their usual comfort faster.
How to act in this situation so as not to waste a minute of time and not to take unnecessary steps, and what role a household dehumidifier plays in eliminating the “accident” – read below!
A reminder of what to do after a flooded apartment
As already mentioned above, you should start eliminating the consequences of the “flood” immediately, because speed is one of the main components of success here. The next important nuance is the correctness and sequence of actions.
Let’s take a step-by-step look at what to do after your apartment has been flooded:
important tip: Need reliable water restoration near me in Dania Beach FL? Get expert solutions to restore your property quickly. Call now for professional help!
1. Disconnect the power from the home
This is the very first thing you need to do when your apartment is flooded. But first, put on rubber boots, gloves, and only then go to the panel and turn off all the machines. If you are afraid or doubt that you can cope with this task, then it is better to call an electrician.
2. Make a photo/video report
This stage is necessary only when your neighbors are the ones to blame for the flooding of your apartment, and if you simply forgot to turn off the tap when leaving home, you can only complain about your own carelessness. What you need to do if moisture “leaked in” from the outside: record the damage to your home as accurately and in detail as possible. For example, you can take photos and supplement them with a video. The more detailed the report, the greater the chances of receiving financial compensation from your neighbors or the insurance company.
3. Stop the flooding
If water continues to gush from a faulty pipe or an open tap, turn off the water supply to the entire apartment. If the “rain” falls from above, you will have to go up to your neighbors or, if there are none, call the emergency/utility service. Until the water stops flooding the apartment, there is nothing to do.
4. Collect water
If the apartment is heavily flooded, there will be puddles or even a whole lake on the floor, which can be “drained” using regular buckets and rags. If the flood was not very large-scale, the water will most likely be absorbed by the rugs, carpets and other types of textile coverings. In this case, you will have to roll everything up and take it outside to dry.
5. Dry the room
When flooded, not only do the objects in the apartment get wet, but the level of air humidity also increases significantly. It is difficult to breathe in such a damp room and it is simply uncomfortable to be there. The first thing to do is to open all the windows to ventilate the rooms well and thus remove some of the moisture. The next step is to connect the heating devices (of course, when it is safe to use electricity). But even if you turn on several heaters and open all the windows in the house, the drying process will take a long time.
How to speed up drying? Use a dehumidifier. This climate control equipment significantly reduces the moisture content in the atmosphere in a matter of hours, without requiring human intervention and without consuming much electricity. All you need to do is plug the device into the network, set the required percentage of humidity and start the device. Some modern units even have a special mode for such situations, when the device operates in intensive mode.
important tip: Looking for professional water damage companies in North Miami FL? Trust our experts for fast and efficient restoration services. Call us today!
In addition, you can use the dehumidifier even after the flooding has been eliminated to regularly maintain a pleasant microclimate in your home.
6. Protect your apartment from fungus and mold
When the humidity level in the apartment reaches the norm and all the furnishings are dry, apply a special solution to the walls that eliminates harmful formations and prevents their subsequent appearance.