How Do Property Owners and Occupants Stay Safe with a Flooded Basement During a Power Outage?

9/30/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO renders mitigation and restoration services that keep your property looking, “Like it never even happened,” when you call (973) 662-0062.

Call Certified Disaster Mitigation Specialists to Clean Up Flood Damage in a Nutley Basement

While Nutley homeowners have a plethora of ways to minimize flood damage to their residences quickly, these solutions may not always succeed. A sump pump can fail while attempting to drain water from the basement, or water alarms may malfunction and fail to detect floodwaters entering your home.

SERVPRO removes and restores flood damage in Nutley residences while adhering to restoration industry standards per the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification. A combination of extensive training and education opportunities ensure that technicians and staff alike can provide rapid-response assistance to homeowners in need.

What Circumstances Does Flood Insurance Typically Cover?
Flood coverage takes care of disaster situations that standard home insurance policies cannot, which can prove highly beneficial for homeowners. If a ground flood or sewage backup has damaged your property, SERVPRO professionals can bring power sources for equipment that allows you to get the restoration services you need while minimizing damage from floodwaters and debris on your property.

Flood insurance covers personal belongings like appliances, clothing, and valuables that may be in your basement. Purchasers may want to consider implementing additional dwelling and contents coverage to ensure that they get the most out of their policy with minimal upfront costs.

Flood insurance can aid in the following disaster scenarios that can affect your basement:
• Sewage backups. Home insurance typically does not cover external sewage backups that affect your Nutley home. There are options to add protection for this specific type of disaster, though the coverage is usually limited up to approximately $10,000.
• Inclement weather. Water damage related to storms and heavy rains may not always be covered even under a flood insurance policy unless it can be tied to local flooding.
• Flash floods. Ground floods affecting your locale are generally covered under a flood insurance policy. Groundwater seepage that comes into your basement, however, may not be covered unless it is tied directly to a flood.

How Can Homeowners Stay Safe with a Flooded Basement?
• Avoid direct contact with water. Floodwaters contain a wide array of contaminants that make direct contact inadvisable. On top of that, wading through floodwaters that have impacted your electrical system poses an electrocution hazard. Contact your utility provider about safely shutting off the electricity in your home.
• Use a pump to remove water, if possible. A sump pump that is in working order and is the appropriate size for your basement should be the first line of defense against floodwaters entering there. Flood prevention methods are ideal for saving both time and money dealing with the ensuing water damage and odors. Sump pumps are especially prudent for finished basements. You can bolster your basement’s insurance coverage in the event of a sump pump failure with coverage options as high as $25,000 if a well-maintained pump gives out during a flood.
• File an insurance claim as soon as you are able. This step is crucial for receiving timely service, minimizing damage to your belongings, and maximizing your compensation from your insurer. Flood claims typically need to be filed within a certain period after the disaster has occurred. The longer you wait, the more difficult it is to get timely coverage, and the more costly repair and replacement costs become. SERVPRO coordinates with your insurance adjuster to aid you in streamlining the claims filing process while providing extensive documentation related to your claim.
• Keep checking the news, weather services, and local outage maps. While your access to wireless Internet can be limited in a flood damage situation, cell towers are typically operational to allow for live updates regarding weather, power outages, road conditions, and related local news. Keep an emergency radio at hand as a backup or to save your phone battery.

How Can SERVPRO Prevent Further Loss and Damage to a Flooded Basement?
Floods can create a laundry list of issues on a property, including the proliferation of pests, microbial growth, chemical residues, and unpleasant odors. SERVPRO professionals can perform a pack out for the contents of your basement.

The pack-out process entails the following:
• Carefully documenting items with paper or digital inventory systems.
• Packing items room by room.
• Taking contents to a SERVPRO warehouse for careful inspection and restoration.

After the contents of your basement are transported offsite for cleanup, onsite technicians can focus on structural damage mitigation and restoration, including odor control. SERVPRO of Nutley / Bloomfield renders mitigation and restoration services that keep your property looking, “Like it never even happened,” when you call (973) 662-0062.