The Importance of Timely Flood Damage Mitigation

7/20/2022 (Permalink)

Roof damage due to a storm can cause flooding and damage to your home.

Having the security of flood insurance after a major storm hits Pueblo, CO, is a relief. If the damage it causes is widespread throughout your area, though, it may be a while before your adjuster arrives to assess your home. There are many reasons not to wait on your provider's representative before starting mitigation.

Reasons Not To Wait for the Flood Insurance Adjuster To Arrive

Under normal circumstances, insurance adjusters are tasked with making sure the information provided by clients on claims is accurate. If your home has extensive damage, though, it may only get worse if you wait to start the remediation until after the adjuster visits. Quick action is necessary for several reasons.

• Accurate Assessment
  

Before any work can be done, you must know the full extent of the problem. The flood damage mitigation experts you hire to fix what's wrong with your home are trained to provide an accurate assessment of the issue. They go beyond the surface for a thorough investigation of potential issues:

• Contamination level
  
• Air quality
  
• Structural integrity
  
• Saturation extent
  
• Secondary damage
  

Adjusters list all the problems they see but certified mitigation experts understand what the actual cleanup process entails. Thus, they know the specific problems to look for and are likely to catch something that the adjuster might miss. They can also take pictures and provide an itemized list of work that needs to be done to aid the adjuster in getting an accurate picture of the original state of your home after the flood.

• Extended Damage
  

Just like any other liquid, water continues to cause problems as long as it's someplace it's not supposed to be, and if you neglect to act in a timely manner, your flood insurance policy may not cover extended damage. Even if you are able to pump the majority of the standing water out of your home, the excess moisture that inevitably stays behind is still seeping into your flooring and your baseboards. The water that is already in your drywall will continue to expand until it's completely cut out. The faster your response, the more likely it is that some materials can be salvaged.

• Mold Growth
  

Another common issue that arises with unmitigated water damage is mold growth. You may think that you have plenty of time to start cleanup, but the truth is that mold damage can occur within as few as 24 hours after the initial flood happens. This is especially true of the spaces in your home that may already be prone to fungus growth, such as the bathroom and laundry room. Waiting for an adjuster to survey your house only paves the way for mold to exacerbate the issue.

Your flood insurance provider is certainly one of the first calls you should make when your home is flooded. If the damage occurs as a result of a storm, though, adjusters in your area may be very busy and thus delayed. Don't wait to start the cleanup process. Your mitigation team can provide the thorough assessment that your insurance company needs while stopping damage in its tracks.