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What to do or don’t after a Flooding

In Louisville, KY, we deal with a lot of situations where your house or business could end up flooding. These could be natural reasons such as a lot of rain over a few days and water just starting to come into your home, or The Ohio River deciding to flood your house. Other reasons could be out of your hands, like a sump pump failure or a water leak in your water heater tank. But what are the do’s and don’ts after a flood in Louisville? Very simple: follow our recommendations.

Flooding in Louisville

Safety First After a Louisville Flood

The first thing is the safety of you and your family. If you have water in your basement or any other part of your house, be aware that water and electricity aren’t friends. Make sure this water hasn’t touched or gotten to any outlet or electrical receptacle. If it has, do not go into the water. Call a professional.

Another important safety precaution is to avoid as much as possible contact between your body and the water. Water that runs through the ground is considered black water. In your yard, there are many contaminants and pesticides that have made this water very dangerous.

What To Do After a Louisville Flood

  • Remove as much excess water as you can by mopping and blotting. If you have a shop vacuum, use it.
  • Disconnect all your appliances from the electricity.
  • Take some towels and wipe excess water from wood furniture after removing lamps and tabletop items. This will prevent color transfer onto flooring.
  • Remove wet bed sheets.
  • Look around for wet boxes and dispose of them if they are not salvageable.
  • Put toys in boxes.
  • Remove and prop up wet upholstery and cushions.
  • Place aluminum foil or wood blocks between furniture legs and wet carpeting.
  • Turn on the air conditioning for maximum drying in summer. Set the fan to auto.
  • Make a sign saying, “Do Not Enter” and explain to your kids to stay out.
  • Remove colored rugs from wet carpeting. You don’t want permanent bleeding everywhere, plus it can damage the area rug.
  • Move valuable art objects to a safe and dry place.
  • Gather loose items from floors. If possible, box them up.
  • Remove all your decorative wall items.

What NOT To Do After Flooding in Louisville

  • Don’t pretend you can handle this situation with a shop vacuum from Home Depot. You need professional help.
  • Don’t hire or trust the first person or company that shows up at your door. Do your research or call your insurance company and ask for a referral or any close friend.
  • Don’t leave wet fabrics or clothing in place. Hang furs and leather goods.
  • Don’t leave books, magazines, or other colored items on wet carpet or floors. Take your books to a dry area.
  • Don’t use televisions or other household appliances. Disconnect them.
  • Don’t turn on ceiling fixtures if the ceiling is wet, and keep out of rooms where ceilings are sagging.
  • Don’t turn any light switches if your walls are wet around them.

A flooding situation is a big stress that some people have to go through in their lives. I hope you are not one of them, but it’s always good to educate ourselves in case it ever happens. It’s better to be on the side of people who know what to do rather than those who ask, “What am I going to do now?”

Don’t forget, if you have to go through a flooding situation in your life, Rodriguez Cleaning and Restoration is here to assist you and help with any water damage in Louisville you may have. Give us a call at 502-365-6779; we are available to you 24 hours a day.

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