Help! My Kitchen has flooded!

11/25/2020 (Permalink)

Don't Panic! Call SERVPRO of Venice to cleanup and restore your flooded kitchen!

Help! My Kitchen has flooded!

As soon as you walk downstairs or into your kitchen area, your senses kick in and immediately you know that there is a problem. A strange odor is in the air, there are some weird noises, you feel wetness coming through your socks or slippers, and then you see it: water is everywhere on your kitchen floor!

You see not just a wet floor though, as your eyes move around, you also notice that the cabinets, appliances, bar stools, and anything that touches the floor are now soaked in water. Avoid panicking! Now is the time to take action, and do it fast to avoid further damage to your home. Following these next steps will help you prevent more damage and allow for quicker restoration of your home. 

The number one thing to keep in mind is YOUR SAFETY! If you do not feel comfortable or safe doing any of these steps, call for help immediately. 

How to Deal With a Flooded Kitchen

If the flooding is small, and you are able to stop the source of the water damage, then you may be able to clean it up quickly and on your own. From our experience, this is not the case in most water damage events. If you are not sure of what to do, call your local SERVPRO Cleanup and Restoration company to assist. Following are tips to help minimize the damage and the amount of restoration needed to get your home back to normal. 

1. Turn off the water: If you can see that the water leak can be stopped by closing the supply line valves (normally located under the sink), or if not sure turn the main water line off. Pro-TIP: Notate where your main water line shutoff is located before you have an accident! Tag it if possible and let any other family members know where it is. In most cases the main water shutoff is located in the garage before the hot water heater, or on the side of the road. If you cannot find it, call your water supply company.
2. Turn off the power: For any room that is affected with water damage, you want to turn off the water until you know it is safe. After you have turned off the power, and you can safely do so, unplug any appliances, TV’s, or anything else electrically powered.
3. Turn off gas/propane: Flooding can potentially damage gas supply lines, regulators, and burners. If damage is noticed, have your appliances inspected to ensure they are still safely operable. 
4. Clear the room: Move anything that you safely can to a dry area of your home, such as a patio, garage, or any other room that has a hard flooring surface. Remember that water damaged furniture can stain. So if you have to put it in a carpeted room or if the furniture is too heavy to move, use some kind of blocker to prevent staining. Aluminum foil and wood or Styrofoam blocks can help prevent water wicking up the furniture and from staining to occur.
5. Remove the water: Safely remove as much water as possible. DO NOT use a household vacuum. Only use mops, brooms, or if you have access to one, a wet/dry vacuum to remove the water. 
6. What’s the damage: Take a look at the flooded areas. If the job is too big and you’ve noticed that the baseboards, cabinets doors or kick plates are swollen, you will want to contact a cleanup and restoration company. Professional water extractors, air movers, dehumidifiers, and other dry out equipment will ensure that your property is properly dried out, and helps reduce the possibility for a mold outbreak. Most companies, like SERVPRO of Venice, offer 24/7 emergency services for water damage because we know that time is of the essence. The quicker it can be dried, the less damage you will have and the lower the cost to restore your kitchen.

Professional Tip: Be prepared for when disaster hits by creating an Emergency Ready Profile  (ERP) for your home and/or business. There is no cost or commitment for using this service. Our goal is to help you be better prepared for when a natural or man-made catastrophic event occurs. This ERP allows you to notate where your property’s shut offs are located, emergency contact numbers for local authorities and your vendors, and other critical information to help reduce damage when disaster strikes. 

If your home or business has experienced a flooded kitchen, please give SERVPRO of Venice a call at 941-484-7777 for fast and professional cleanup and restoration services.