Home Inspections After Flooding
In unfortunate circumstances, a flood may occur in your home. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recommends inspecting your household after any water damage occurs. It is important to exercise caution before entering your home after flooding, due to the various types of damage that may be present. Flooding may result from pipe bursts, roof leakage, or natural disasters. According to FEMA, the most common damages to occur after a flood are fire incidents.
Instead of entering your home immediately, you should look for visible damage on the outside and assess the situation before entering. Here’s what you should look for before entering a water-damaged household after a natural disaster:
- Submerged air conditioner unit
- Any cracks in exterior walls that may indicate structural instability
- Submerged exterior electrical lines
- Leaks into [basement] windows that may cause internal flooding
- Visible water or damage inside the household as viewed by looking through a window
- Holes in the roof, especially if there is debris protruding
After assessing if it is safe to go inside or not, enter your home with caution. Be aware that water damaged electrical lines can be extremely dangerous. These can increase the likelihood of getting electrocuted. To reduce the risk of injury, check the following items to make sure that your house is safe after a pipe burst or roof leakage:
- Electrical system for exposed/broken wires
- Flooded electrical circuits
- Submerged furnaces
- Cracks and/or water stains on walls
- Kitchen appliances or any other household items that could cause a fire
Make sure of is that the electricity in your home is off. Once all electrical systems are dried and checked by a licensed professional, it is okay to turn everything back on.
A common issue that may develop from water damage will be mold, whether the damage is from a natural disaster, burst pipe, or roof leakage. Mold may bloom either outside or inside of your home. It can post a serious health risk for those with respiratory issues, and if left unchecked can affect those with a generally healthy constitution.
If you are buying a house that appears to be damaged from water, assess the severity of the damage with our services to make sure it is in a good enough condition to buy, and read our tips on the warning signs of water damage. If water damage is not assessed or fixed in the home, whether it’s your house or a perspective house, this can increase the likelihood of the water damage getting worse as time goes on.
Source: By Veronica Ibarra for Georgia Pro Inspection Company
Please call RJ Home Inspection if you need your home inspected after flood damage.
Contact Aspen Environmental Services for flood damage repair/reconstruction at (978) 681-5023 or email info@aspenenvironmentalservices.com