You don’t have to live in a flood zone to be concerned about your home being flooded. Any severe storm, anywhere, can cause flooding. If the power goes out and your sump pump fails, then that flooding can become part of your basement. And it is not just Mother Nature that you have to worry about. Your home’s plumbing might someday become compromised. That can also trigger a flood and not just in the basement.

Do you know what to do if your home floods? Here are the steps to take:

Cut Off the Water Supply

It will be easy to stop a flood in your home coming from a broken pipe. You just have to shut off the water valve. If you don’t know where that valve is located, then take the time to find it today. If water is coming in from the outside, then make your best effort to block that entry point with towels or blankets. Anything you can do to mitigate the flooding is vital.

Turn Off Your Electricity

You probably know where your breaker box is for your electric power. There is a master switch in those boxes that will shut off power to the entire home. When flooding occurs, you should shut off the power until you get things sorted out. Essentially, think of your outlets. If water is rising and can pour into those outlets, then it can spark trouble. Just be sure that you won’t be standing in water to shut off the power. If that is the case, then call in a pro to turn it off.

Head Outside

In the immediate aftermath of a flood, you want to get to safety. That is especially true in a powerful storm where it might take hours for the waters to recede. In the case of a sewer backup causing a flood, there could be some toxic waters now in your home. You don’t want to stick around and be exposed to those fumes any longer than you have to. Once you, your family and your pets are safe, then you can deal with the damage.

Get Help

If you’re renting a property that has become flooded, then you will need to call your landlord right away. You might still need to do some of the cleanups and deal with your damaged possessions but it will be the landlord’s responsibility to make the big repairs. If you own the home, then you want to call your insurance company. Hopefully, your coverage will compensate you for the repairs. The first question to ask is if you can start the clean up before an adjuster shows up. Even if you’re given the green light to get started, you want to take plenty of pictures and videos of the damage to support your claim.

Start the Cleanup

Anything that has become soaked with water might not be totally damaged but it should be taken out of the flooded area to dry out. This can also reduce the risk of mold developing in that area. If carpeting has been drenched, then you could dry it out but that might not resolve issues of water soaking through the rug. That is why it might have to be pulled up. You might also have to remove sections of drywall that have been soaked. If the insurance kicks in, then you can hire professional remediation services to handle these repairs.

The response to any kind of flooding needs to happen fast. That will stop the potential of mold growth, which could trigger a whole other set of problems. That is something you want to avoid at all costs.