The Aftermath of the Houston 2016 Flood: Your First Steps to Take
The aftermath of the Houston 2016 flood has left us all shaken and not sure what the next move should be. Knowing what to do after a catastrophic event is overwhelming. There are so many resources available, it’s hard to know exactly where to start. We’ve broken it down in to the essentials steps you must take to start down the path of recovery, after you have found a safe place to stay. We highly recommend you check out other resources, such as the Red Cross, for a more thorough list of what to do after a flood.
- Take inventory of the damage
- Call the ISR (insurance, storage, restoration) professionals
- Start clearing your home
To be a little more specific for those of you who are detail-oriented:
1. Take Inventory of the Damage
Stay clear of areas that look dangerous. Look for structural damage and contact professionals if you think there is any damage to your gas, sewer lines, electricity, or water. Make sure to unplug all electronics. Look around your home, take pictures, and note of any missing or damaged items
2. Call the ISR Essentials (Insurance, Storage, Restoration)
I – Insurance
To help make your call more efficient, make sure to have the name of your insurance company (your agent may write policies for multiple agencies), your policy number, and your contact information handy.
S – Storage
You will need a spot to put your items during the restoration process. Before you do anything, reserve a unit at a nearby storage property. Space is limited and the good places tend to fill up quickly. Be careful – choosing a storage facility out of haste may only create trouble for you down the road. Make sure the property has walls that reach up to the ceiling, individual alarms on units, surrounded by colored cameras, and a gated access system.
R – Restoration
There are a few service companies available. We highly recommend ServPro as your restoration company of choice. We’ve worked with them through many hurricanes, floods, and catastrophes of all sorts. They’re always Amazing and a worthy service partner to help you with your aftermath of Houston 2016 flood.
3. Clear your home to begin the cleaning process
Think about what you need: boxes, plastic containers, and (usually) a dry place to put them. The internet is your friend! Do as much online as possible – reserve moving supplies, rent a storage unit, reserve a Penske truck, and so on. Not only will you save time, but you will have the most accurate information available. Depending on the damage, you may want to hire a mover.
If you have a lot of items to move, you may want to reserve a mover now. Slots fill up quickly, especially with the most qualified movers. Don’t cause any more damage to your items – use a mover from our trusted list. For more tips on cleaning – check our blog for ways to bring water damaged goods back to life.
Helpful tips
- Save your sanity: do as much online or on the phone as possible
- Rent online or reserve moving supplies
- Up to date inventory and prevent you from making multiple phone calls
- Upload pictures to a cloud drive so you will have them handy
- Rent online or reserve moving supplies
- Be smart about storing your items
- Don’t just throw wet items into a box or go to the first storage place you see. Use common sense when packing items, don’t keep items that are thoroughly damaged, and store your stuff at a place that is actually secure.
