Aside from break-ins and plumbing concerns, weather elements are some of the worst problems homeowners encounter daily. Because, unlike other household issues, they occur much more frequently and sometimes without warning. Moreover, their effects on your household differ; what used to be manageable one day might reach a level that devastates your whole abode.
Rainfall is a typical—and one of the most inconvenient—weather type throughout the year. Combining strong winds and heavy rain makes for a problematic situation since both elements challenge a house’s structural integrity. And even though homes are generally strong enough to withstand flooding, homeowners must ensure that the property and surrounding area are flood-proof. Otherwise, a flood can damage your home’s items and foundation if it occurs often.
Since they’re overflowing water, floods can get anywhere, damaging everything in their way. Hence, they often turn into a bigger problem than the rain itself. If your house gets flooded, it’s best to do an extensive search before choosing the right flood damage restoration provider. But it doesn’t hurt to shoulder some of the salvaging yourself, especially if what you need to retrieve is essential.
That said, here are some tips for saving household items or valuables:
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Gear Up
As important as your possessions are, getting them back with complete disregard for your safety will do you more harm than good. Because, as mentioned, flood water can travel anywhere. So, you’re traversing through contaminated water instead of otherwise.
Contaminated water contains harmful substances, disease-inducing bacteria, and hazardous chemicals. Instead of letting that deter you, consider wearing protective gear before heading out. This consists of heavy-duty gloves, boots, and clothing long enough to cover every inch of skin. Top off your outfit with a pair of goggles in case there’s toxic gas released in the air.
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Navigate Safely
Although some households are strong enough to keep standing after heavy rains or hurricanes, others aren’t as lucky. If anything, devastated homes are common once the worst of the disaster has passed. Because of that, practice caution instead of heading straight into the fray.
Examine what’s left of the building from afar. See if there are any entry points you can access that are free from structural damage. Otherwise, you risk getting trapped inside when the place collapses.
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Learn To Prioritize
As gorgeous as your carpets are, is it worth going through all that effort to salvage them from the flood before other items? Those who appreciate sentimental value might consider going the extra mile to restore their carpets. However, those only interested in their monetary value are probably not keen on salvaging them, especially if the flood water has already ruined their quality.
With that example in mind, consider which of your possessions are important. More often than not, those things that can never be replaced with money are more valuable than anything else; they could be photos, relevant documents, a loved one’s old recipe book, expensive appliances or furniture, or boxes full of trinkets. If you can’t imagine yourself losing them forever, that indicates how they must be a top priority. Roughly the same principle applies for monetary reasons.
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Air Dry Items
Since they’ve been submerged in water for some time, it’s safe to say that they’re a lot more delicate than they were before the flood. Because of this, drying them out under direct sunlight would do more damage than good, especially for photos. However, keeping them in damp places is a breeding ground for mould.
The safest solution is to let them air dry. If weather permits, leave the windows open for fresh air to enter the house. If not, use fans to keep the air circulating. That way, you can even dry your water-damaged floorboards while caring for your other valuables.
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Store Properly
Considering how hectic it is to control damage in a flood-devastated home, those possessions you want to care for might get put off later. Because depending on the extent of the damage, you might consider contacting your insurance provider to file a claim and report what happened as soon as possible. Naturally, the process would take a long time since you must record proof of all the damages the natural disaster caused.
However, leaving your flooded possessions off to the side would be irresponsible. Instead of setting them aside elsewhere, store them in a durable container. After all, humidity and moisture are your valuables’ worst enemies. Since storages are devoid of either one, keeping your possessions there would preserve them properly.
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Contact Professionals
Given how dangerous it often is to trek through flooded properties, consider contacting experts to look for your possessions as a last resort. With their equipment and expertise, they can navigate through the wreckage without worrying. Moreover, they’re familiar with restoring items damaged by floods, so you’re getting two birds with one stone.
Takeaway
Returning to your home devastated by flood is one of the worst nightmares homeowners have. Because on top of having your house lose its integrity, most of your possessions are likely affected by all that flood water. But with proper handling and careful navigation, your valuables will be restored to good condition in no time.
