Floods can happen without warning. You do not need to have a home in near a river or major body of water to be affected by a flood. A large rainstorm can flood any piece of land quickly. When faced with a flooding situation, your first job is secure the safety of your family and loved ones. Do not stay in your home just to protect your possessions. Floods can be very unpredictable and taking a chance with your safety for a few possessions is never worth the risk. However, once the flood waters subside, the task of flood damage cleanup begins.

Before you begin the long and dirty process of flood damage cleanup, take a few minutes to take pictures of your home. For some people it may be difficult to take pictures of the home you love so much after a flood has caused damage but the pictures are very important. You need to immediately start removing any standing water from your property so the pictures will help you when dealing with your insurance company.

Before you can start with the majority of the flood damage cleanup, you need to wait for your insurance company to review the situation. Depending on the severity of the flood and the damage to your property, it may take several days before your insurance company is able to review and assess the damage. This may slow down your flood damage cleanup plans. If the flood damage is extensive enough you may not be able to live in your home but be patient, this is not the time to take chances with your insurance company.

Once your insurance company assesses the damage and processes their paperwork, you can then begin to focus getting your home cleaned up. You should already have removed any standing water inside your home and from your property in general. Now your focus will be removing any damaged materials and ruined household items. If during your flood damage cleanup you discover any additional standing water in your home, make sure you remove the water quickly and inspect the area for hidden water damage.

The actual process for flood damage cleanup will vary depending on the extent of the damage to your home. Floods that last for days and reach high water levels may damage the insulation in your walls but smaller flash floods may only damage your carpet. Allow your insurance company to assist with determining the level of damage to you home and aid you in creating a flood damage cleanup plan.

After a flood, your first instinct will be to rush in and start working on the flood damage cleanup. However, you first step should really be to wait for your insurance company to review the damage. Allowing your insurance company to fully inspect your home and review any and all damage, will help you get your home back and in working order as quickly as possible. Flood waters bring much more than water and a little dirt so make sure you home is inspected completely and you complete all flood damage cleanup tasks called out by your insurance company.