Did you know that the risk increases in the aftermath of a natural disaster?
Whether it’s a tornado, earthquake, or hurricane, recovery work should not put you in danger. In 2015, the US Labor Department warned the residents of North Carolina to be vigilant and be aware of the hazards during storm clean-up. These may be minimized with knowledge, protective equipment, and safe work practices.
Cleaning Up After a Disaster
It’s always best to leave post-disaster efforts to the experts because they are trained with proper equipment and experience. However, there are actions you can carry out to prevent further damage to your property.
Wear Proper Clothing and Gear
Before even starting to clean up, ensure to wear proper clothing and gear. You may face a wide range of hazards: contaminated water, animals and insects, sagging ceiling, and splintered woods.
At a minimum, you should prepare the following:
- Long sleeve shirts
- Long pants
- Sturdy boots or shoes, but not flip flops or tennis shoes
- Gloves
- Disposable masks
- Hard hats
- Eye protection
Prepare Basic Cleaning Supplies
Depending on the damage in your home, the list below are the essentials to help you start your clean up:
- Detergent
- Sponges
- Bleach
- Shop-vac or canister vacuum cleaners
- Rubber gloves
- Buckets
- Mops and brooms
- Carpet knife
- Shovels and rakes
- Durable trash bags
Evaluate Home Safety
After the weather has subsided, approach your home with safety. Check the foundations for damage or cracks. If in doubt, contact a building inspector or disaster restoration experts right away. Also, ensure that there are no gas leaks, down wires, and damaged pipes.
Keep Good Records
Document the severity of damage to your home for future claims from your insurance through pictures and videotapes. Additionally, keep receipts of clean-up expenses, labor, materials, equipment rentals, and motel bills.
Clean-up
Before the clean-up, disinfect anything that has come in contact with floodwaters with safe and registered disinfectants. You may consider the following procedures during your clean up:
- Turn off all power switches.
- Unplug appliances.
- Dry off flooded appliances.
- Scrub your entire home, including your appliances and everything that was exposed to elements or floodwater.
- Remove carpets and rugs and discard carpet padding. Before removing your carpet, scrub it with a soap solution since it’s difficult to clean it when it’s removed.
- It’s more practical to take curtains and draperies to a dry cleaner for professional cleaning.
- Let your basement dry and clean out debris. In case of floods, wait for the floodwater to recede before entering. If the issue is severe, call a local restoration company, like PuroClean Orchard Park, if you are around the area or in the Buffalo area.
- Open all your windows to allow drying and ventilation. You may use electric fans to speed up the drying process.
Seek Financial Assistance
In addition to your insurance company, there are other sources of financial assistance to help you with clean-up and recovery:
- Voluntary organizations
- Businesses
- Government disaster programs
On the Whole
Identify, evaluate, and control hazards systematically to eliminate or reduce risks. Leave demolition or repairs to the professionals who have the experience and specialized equipment. Beware of unlicensed repair contractors and ensure to check licenses and insurance.
On top of these, call references of any contractor you hire and always ask about hidden charges.
