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

3/13/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Bear/New Castle is here to help out homeowners suffering from minor and major storm damage.

While evacuating your home can be difficult in the face of a major storm, there are often more reasons to evacuate than to stay in place. Flood damage can cause many dangerous and unpredictable consequences if you’re trapped in your home, most of which could be avoided by temporarily evacuating to a safer area. Note that in some scenarios, staying at home may be less risky than seeking refuge elsewhere, especially if water is blocking roadways; a car can be carried away in water as little as 2 feet. However, here are just a few of the risks you can avoid by vacating the area.

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.

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.

Are You Covered?

There’s more than just the initial extent of storm damage that homeowners should worry about. If not taken care of properly, water damage from a storm can turn into mold damage quite easily. That’s why it’s important to call a restoration company with years of experience and training to mitigate your home.

Why SERVPRO of Bear/New Castle?

SERVPRO of Bear/New Castle is ready to respond even in the midst of major storms. To start recovery of your home faster, call us at (302) 392-6000. We understand the stress and worry that comes with a fire or water damage and the disruption it causes your life and in your home or business. Our goal is to help minimize the interruption to your life and quickly make it "Like it never even happened."