Shelley Koster
Bartlesville and Grand Lake Realtor
Taking a look at the news today I noticed that Bartlesville, Grand Lake, and the rest of Northeast Oklahoma is in for some bad weather over the next few days. If you’ve lived any Oklahoma for any amount of time, then you know what we’re dealing with here. The spring and summer can bring on the rain and if you live near a large body of water this could mean flooding.
Today, we wanted to make sure everyone was aware of the first steps you need to take when your home experiences flooding.
Higher Ground
If you begin to notice the creek coming through the back door, then the first thing you need to do is get your family to higher ground.
In a flash flooding scenario water can rise quickly, so don’t wait, get to the top floor, the attic, or the roof. Also, do not attempt to walk, swim, or drive through flowing waters. Lastly, if you come in contact with floodwaters, wash your hands with soap and hot water.
Take Pictures
When you notice a leaky roof or after the waters have receded, and it is safe to go inside, then the first thing you will need to do is take pictures (for insurance) of the following:
- Flood Origins: If your home experienced leaks, then you will want to take pictures of the flood origins. Occasionally, these areas will dry up before a professional looks at it. Therefore, you will want to have photos on hand to show your professional the exact problem areas.
- Damaged Area: Anything that was submerged in water needs to be photographed, as well as any place where water was at.
- Damaged Items: As an inventory of sorts, you will want to photograph all items that were damaged in the flood.
Don’t forget once your photos are taken, get them printed or back them up on a computer.
Call your Insurance Agent
Before you begin hiring professionals or cleaning up the damaged area, call your insurance agent. They will be able to assist you in finding the right professionals for the job and covering the cost of doing so, providing you have the proper insurance.
If you are unsure whether or not you have flood insurance, then we suggest you call your insurance provider to find out before disaster strikes. In some areas flood insurance is a necessity, and in others it is not, it is best to talk to them to find out.
Remove Items
Once you have made a call to insurance, then it is best to remove all damaged items and items you don’t want to get wet, should it rain and flood more. Keep in mind to have photo inventory of all the damaged items as you might have to throw some away.
Clean
If the damage is not intense and clean up can be managed by you, then we suggest you do it by:
- Getting rid of water: Either by brooms and mops or Shop-Vacs, priority one is removing the water in the area.
- Drying out the area: In order to prevent mold grow, you will want to dry out the area with an industrial heater or by having a restoration professional come to do it.
- Disinfecting the area: Last, but not least, you will need to disinfect the area that was affected by the floodwaters.
Call a Professional
Our last tip is to call a professional for clean up. If your home suffered significant water damage, then the proper and most effective way to clean it up is to call a professional. This will ensure that your home will not be affected by mold and mildew later on down the road. See our list of professionals here.
We hope that none of our friends will experience any water damage over the next few days, however, it is always good to be prepared in case something does happen. Stay safe Grand Lake and Bartlesville and stay DRY!
