WHAT TO DO WHEN YOUR HOME FLOODS:

1. Safety First.
Water damage can cause health and safety hazards such as: risk of electrocution, slip / fall accidents or exposure to pathogens.  Be aware of the risks and limit access to affected areas.  If the circuit breaker can be safely accessed, temporarily turn off power to affected areas.  In the case of a broken water pipe or fixture, turn off water supply.  Resolve to address the situation immediately.  Delaying dealing with water damage can make the situation exponentially worse.

2. Call a Water Damage Professional
Water damage mitigation is not a  do-it-yourself project.  Water spreads quickly affecting floors, walls, ceilings, cabinets, floor coverings, sub-floor, woodwork and personal property.  Without proper inspection, equipment and training, it's difficult to evaluate the damage and respond appropriately.  If the extraction and drying process is not quickly started, secondary damage can occur from moisture wicking into porous materials or from abnormal indoor humidity.  Hygroscopic materials (absorbing water and water vapor) can begin to buckle, deform, delaminate and swell.  Fungus and bacteria germinate and multiply when conditions are above 60% relative humidity.  Foul odors and respiratory problems may develop in as little as 24 hours.

3. Documentation
A restoration professional will help you document damaged property and make recommendations on how to mitigate further damage. It is best to document all damaged property even if you are not planning on contacting insurance.  The full extent of the damage may not be immediately apparent.

4.  Contact Insurance
Your agent should be able to explain covered losses, deductible and policy limits.  If appropriate, they will help you file a claim.  A water damage professional will work with insurance to restore your property quickly.  An adjuster may take several days to inspect the loss.  Do not wait for insurance to respond before starting to address the problem.