Major Storm Coming? Here’s Why You May Want to Evacuate.

3/13/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Upper Darby is here to restore your home after any type of damage, from storm to fire to mold to even odor. Call us at 610-352-0700 today.

With a major storm on the horizon, you must make an important safety decision: evacuate or shelter in place? Evacuating may seem not worth the stress and hassle but more often than it is the safer option. Staying in your home during a flood can leave you trapped with several serious risks to the safety of the structure and yourself. Also keep in mind when evacuating if the roads are safe to travel as it is common for water to block roadways. Below are some of the risk factors that occur in your home due to flooding.

Rising Water

While some floods come and go quickly through your home, others may leave behind standing water. Getting into direct contact with standing water isn’t safe is it contaminated and could expose you to bacteria, sewage, and chemicals. That means if you live in a single story, it would be impossible to avoid the floodwater where with a two-story structure you can refuge in the upper floor.

Structural Instability

Floods can cause severe damage to the structural integrity of your home, even if it is a single story and of newer construction. Large volumes of water can rapidly disintegrate and even physically tear apart materials in your home, exacerbating existing problems and creating new ones. Particularly disastrous floods can even trap you in your home or cause personal injury. If you do remain in your home, try to stay on high ground and in a structurally stable location.

Fire Risk

It might be strange to consider that fire can occur in a home suffering from flood loss but it is definitely possible. An electrical fire can start once the water reaches power outlets or electronic devices. Lighting and heat fixtures affected by water could be damaged and set fire nearby materials. In some cases, chemical fires may start as substances both within and from outside the home combine and react negatively. If you are still in your flooded home when a fire starts, it may be difficult to escape.

 Do You Have Coverage?

On top of the possibilities of damage to your home, statistics show that most homeowners don’t have an insurance policy that covers flood damage. In fact, it’s only 12% of US homeowners that are protected from the devastation that a flood will cause to your home, despite flash floods occurring in all 50 states.

Why SERVPRO of Upper Darby?

SERVPRO of Upper Darby, PA is highly trained in property damage restoration. From initial and ongoing training at SERVPRO’s corporate training facility to regular IICRC-industry certifications, rest assured our staff is equipped with the knowledge and experience to restore your property. With a nationwide system of qualified franchises and advanced technology, no damage is too large or too small for us.