Safety With Electricity After Flooding In Your Chicago Home
12/28/2017 (Permalink)
Safety After Flooding
Disasters are bound to happen at some point. It is how life goes. Even in Chicago, you can be a victim of flood damage. You might not live in an area which is prone to heavy rains, but changing weather patterns can send surprises to people who thought they were safe. It's in your best interest to do all you can to prepare and prevent flood damage from heavy rains.
If the weather and flooding have taken you by surprise in your Chicago home, the flood damage you are faced with can be very daunting. It can come upon you quickly, as well, and before you know it your once dry home is under inches or feet of water. SERVPRO understands how stressful and overwhelming something like this can be, so that is why we are always available when you need us.
When we are faced with a flooding situation, environmental hazards are present. These include structural hazards, electrical hazards, and hazardous materials.
Water conducts electricity, and mixing the two can be disastrous. Flooding can cause water to enter the wiring system of your home. The first item we check is the power distribution box. All circuit breakers are turned off at the panel. Doing so is especially important if water got into electrical outlets or wall cavities, or when you have outlets on the floor.
Since SERVPRO’s equipment to remove the water from your home requires electricity, we must use ground fault circuit interrupters which cut the power if they detect too much current. We always check any tools, cords, and other accessories for damage before using them, and ensure the ground plugs are not broken, and the cords have no cuts, frays, or nicks.
Once we have made sure that no electrical dangers are present in the home, we can begin working safely to dry your home back out and restore your structure and possessions.
SERVPRO of West Loop / Bucktown / Greektown takes pride in our safety procedures on every job to keep your family and our staff safe. Residents in the areas of Ukrainian Village, Wicker Park, or Bucktown can rest easy when they call us at (773) 434-9100 to clean up flood damage.
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