A Comfortable Stay

Posted on: 7 September 2016

If your home is flooded, you'll likely need to have it professionally treated by a water-damage restoration company. You shouldn't wait until they arrive to start treating your home for water damage. Here are five things you can do while waiting for the water-damage restoration company you call to come that will help reduce the amount of water in your home.

Open the Windows and Doors

As soon as it's safe to do so, open all of the windows and doors that you can. Sometimes homes flood during storms; you of course don't want to open any windows if it's raining outside. Additionally, you might not be able to open your home's doors if you have pets that need to be kept inside.

If you're able to, though, opening your home's windows and doors will help get fresh air into your home. Even if it's relatively humid outside, the air outdoors probably isn't as humid as the air in the flooded rooms. Getting less-humid air into those rooms will help excess water evaporate faster.

Turn on Battery-Powered Fans

Turning fans on will further improve the airflow throughout your home and help water evaporate, but it's sometimes unsafe to use fans that plug into an electrical outlet. As FloodList notes, there is still a risk of electrocution after a flood. Water-damaged appliances, including fans, can cause an electric shock, and no electrically powered equipment should be brought within 10 feet of wet surfaces, according to the site.

Battery-powered fans, however, can be safer to use than ones that plug into an electrical outlet.

There are a few reasons why battery-powered fans are better to use than plug-in ones if your home's been flooded:

• batteries contain fewer volts than a 110-volt outlet, so shocks from batteries are less dangerous
• battery-powered fans don't have electrical cords that can fall into standing water and cause shocks
• battery-powered fans don't need to be plugged into an outlet, so it's easier to place them anywhere

Set Up a Dehumidifier

A dehumidifier will actively remove water from the air. Most dehumidifiers plug into a wall, but there are also models that use natural substances to remove moisture from air. Dehumidifiers like these are called desiccant dehumidifiers.

These models won't expose you to any increased risk of electrical shock, and they can be safely placed anywhere. Salt-based models aren't a long-term solution, but they can help reduce the moisture content of the air temporarily.

Hang Area Rugs Outdoors

Any area rugs, floor mats, or similar items that are wet should be hung up outdoors to dry. Taking these items outside will both help them dry out faster and ensure that the water in them doesn't end up in the air in your home. Even if you don't have a clothesline, rugs and mats can be hung from hooks, over fences, and along tree branches.

Remove Any Standing Water

If there's standing water in your home, the best way to remove it is manually. Moving water by hand is a lot of work, but it doesn't require electricity and is effective. To get water out, you might try:

• scooping up water with a bucket or pail
• using a mop to gather water
• soaking up water with towels, sheets, or any other fabric
• vacuuming up the water with a wet vacuum

Before you begin manually removing water, make sure there's no risk of electrocution. Turn the power off at your home's breaker box and check for loose wires. If you can't access the breaker box without walking in water, or if you see loose wires, don't try to remove any water yourself. Wait for a water-damage restoration company such as Spotless Carpet Cleaners & Janitorial Services Inc to come and safely get the water out.