What do you do if your house floods?
No one prepares you for what steps to take, and suddenly you have a flooded home that you have lovingly cared for has sustained immense damage.
What should I do now?
There are many things that we can help you with, and this blog post will go into detail about what to do after a flooded property after a natural disaster.
"While it doesn’t help to worry about things you can’t control, you can be aware of the actions you should take if you do find yourself in a messy—and potentially toxic—situation like this."
Water and electricity don't mix. Before turning it back on, have it examined. Protecting electrical systems is critical.
Unfortunately, because so much devastation has occurred in our neighborhood, you may have to wait a while before they arrive.
Flood insurance is a separate coverage obtained through the US government. As soon as possible, start an insurance claim so that an appointment can be made for the adjuster to come out and inspect.
If you're on your way inside after walking through flooded areas, make sure you wear protective gear, such as rubber boots and gloves. Flood water can include pollutants that are undetectable with the naked eye.
Flood damage, such as buckled walls or floors, and cracked foundations are critical issues that must be addressed right away.
A flooded house can be generate toxic mold and mildew that is harmful to your health. Let in fresh air and sunshine so the house can dry out more quickly.
Take pictures or videos of the damage to your house before you begin cleaning up. During the cleanup, take additional photos to show how things are progressing.
Contact your utilities if you suspect damage to any water supply, gas, or sewer lines.
Remove salvageable components from the damaged goods. Mold grows fast, so get rid of them as soon as feasible. Remove all food from the home.
When dealing with food, the necessary precautions must be observed. Plates, glasses, and flatware should all be removed and cleaned. They should ideally be professionally sanitized.
Remove any furniture or appliances that have been damaged by the floodwater, but do not remove anything if it's safe to stay in place. If you can't tell whether an item is unsafe, call a professional before touching it at all.
If you have flood insurance, you may be eligible for compensation. If you do not have flood insurance, the county has been designated a disaster area, and you may qualify for government aid. You may also be able to deduct the loss on your taxes.
To prevent further flood damage, make sure water is removed quickly after a house flood. Put on rubber boots and gloves, use a shop vacuum to remove excess standing water, mop up spills with wet towels or rags immediately after they happen, use fans to dry out damp areas quickly.
Your carpet and padding can be a center for mold growth, so pull them up as soon as possible.
If there was water damage, the restoration business will need to inspect how far up your wallboard the water has advanced. Because those sections must be removed to avoid or eliminate mold,
To avoid mold growth, it's important to keep the humidity in your home below 60%. Use fans and dehumidifiers if necessary. You may also want to setup a sump pump or wet vac in order to suck out the flood water.
Using this device may increase moisture levels in the air of your home and cause further damage, which can lead to more rapid damage from water or even encourage new problems such as mold.
Before beginning the restoration process, wait for the floors and walls to dry completely. Mold will begin growing within a couple of days if you try drying things too quickly, so be patient!
If you’ve been affected by the recent flooding in Whatcom County, take a deep breath and know that there is hope. Now it’s time to move forward with your disaster plan. This disaster can be mitigated if you have a strong strategy for dealing with water damage restoration services in order to get back on your feet as soon as possible.
Contact Puget Construction & Landscape To Rebuild today so we can help provide guidance through this difficult process of rebuilding from flood damages!
Planning a bathroom remodel is no small task. When you decide to take the plunge (no pun intended) and renovate, the worst thing you can do is jump right in without taking the time to learn and plan. Instead of heading straight to the hardware store and randomly picking out a new sink, tub, and flooring, spend time researching ideas and making a plan for your bathroom.
There are a number of bathroom remodeling ideas that you may want to consider when planning for your renovation.
Energy efficient bathrooms are an essential feature of a bathroom remodel. Not only are you able to create a bathroom that has less of a negative impact on the environment, any renovations you make that are energy efficient will make your home more appealing to potential buyers in the future. Energy efficient solutions add value to your home.
To add energy efficient components to your bathroom, put in LED lighting. LED lights actually last much longer than regular lighting and use 75% less energy. However, LED lighting isn’t only about saving on energy, it also creates a unique aesthetic with color-changing capabilities and various installation locations options.
Give your bathroom a great, easy-maintenance flooring by opting for tiles. There are a number of options for bathroom floor tiling, such as glazed, porcelain, matte finished, textured, and small tiles with grout lines.
Decide on the style and ease of maintenance that you’re looking for in order to choose the best tiles for your remodeled bathroom. You might also want to put in radiant floor heating under your tile flooring. Radiant floor heating can be installed by adding an electric mat directly beneath your tiles. This option provides warmth under your feet and makes for a great addition to your bathroom.
" Retrofitting radiant heating into your home will not only keep you warm but help you save on energy bills too. "
Another great option is a floating vanity. The purpose of a floating vanity is aesthetics. Floating vanities are fairly minimalistic and tend to open up the space in the bathroom. They have a nice, simple look about them that people tend to love.
With a floating vanity, you’ll build a countertop that doesn’t have cupboards and drawers underneath. The vanity essentially just sticks out from the wall and appears to be floating. Floating vanities look great and add value to your bathroom.
" Floating the vanity means the flooring can extend all the way to the wall, which instantly makes a bathroom appear more spacious. And a wall-hung vanity creates more usable space for stashing pieces like a wastebasket or a scale. A little foot room under the sink goes a long way. "
One of the key features that people look for in a bathroom is ease of maintenance. No one wants to spend a great deal of time cleaning and maintaining a bathroom. By ensuring that you use bathroom options that are low-maintenance, you’ll be able to save time and money. With low-maintenance options that are simple to take care of, you’re also creating longevity.
To plan a low-maintenance bathroom design, use simple finishes, quartz countertops, and glass shower doors.
There are so many options when it comes to picking a sink. You’ll want to consider the look, size, means of installation, and more when it comes to your sink.
Integrated sinks are built into the bathroom counter, or vanity, and use the same materials. As there are no seams and the counter seamlessly flows into the sink, they offer a nice, minimalist aesthetic.
Pedestal sinks sit on a pedestal and provide a simple, nice-looking sink for any bathroom. While they look great in most bathrooms, there is no room for storage.
Vessel sinks are essentially a bowl that sits on the countertop. These look nice and are a great way to put in some makeshift storage underneath. However, with the bowl simply sitting on the counter, there isn’t much room for anything you may want to keep around your sink.
While the above ideas will work great for any bathroom, there are a handful of other considerations if you’re remodeling your master bathroom.
While you may be going for the floating vanity in your master bath, you may want to consider making that a floating DOUBLE vanity. With a double vanity you’ll be putting in a large countertop and two sinks.
If you’re putting in a double vanity, make sure that the sinks are at least 36 inches apart so that there is enough room when both sinks are in use. You’ll also want to make sure that there is plenty of lighting, mirror, and storage for both sink areas.
It’s always a great idea to block off the toilet area while leaving the rest of the bathroom open. This enables whomever is using the toilet to have a bit of privacy if someone is in the other part of the bathroom. If you block off an area for the toilet, you might want to put in a door to provide additional privacy.
" Most often seen in a master bathroom, they provide privacy for ‘using the facilities’ while someone else can be accessing the rest of the bathroom. And that’s why I’m currently a fan of the WC! "
Instead of having a combined bath/shower in your master bath, put in a bathtub and shower separately. Install a spa bathtub for relaxing moments and a shower with a glass door for the times when you need a quick cleaning.
When designing a bathroom that is intended for the use of more than one person at a time, you’ll want to make it extra wide. Make sure there are at least 36 to 42 inches in the walk areas so two people can move around with ease.
Bathroom Renovations with Ease
Remodeling your bathroom doesn’t have to be nerve-wracking. Just make sure you take the time to thoroughly research and design your new bathroom before you get started. When you know what you’re going for, it’s much easier to create it.
Contact Puget Construction & Landscape For Your Next Bathroom Remodel
