This article was originally published in The Examiner on October 5, 2017.
By Eleanor Skelton
Staff Writer
If your home was flooded after Hurricane Harvey, you should clean up as soon as possible. Do not wait for a flood insurance adjuster or FEMA home inspector to come to your home, FEMA officials said in a news release.
More than 87,000 flood insurance claims for Harvey damage have already been filed with the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), according to FEMA. More than 3,000 insurance adjusters are conducting inspections of those homes, and this process takes time.
The NFIP advises all homeowners insurance policyholders to proceed with cleanup once it is safe to re-enter the structure.
While you are cleaning out a flooded home, FEMA officials said you should follow these guidelines:
- Take photos or videos of the outside and inside of the building, including damaged personal property, and label them by room before you remove anything.
- For items like washers and dryers, hot water heaters, kitchen appliances, TVs and computers, photograph the make, model and serial number.
- For your building items, keep samples of carpet, flooring, wallpaper, and drapes.
- For personal property items, separate the damaged from undamaged items for the adjuster’s inspection.
- After taking photos, immediately throw away flooded items that pose a health risk after coming into contact with flood water, such as perishable food, clothing, cushions and pillows.
If you need help cleaning up your flood-damaged home, call (844) 965-1386. For more information on Hurricane Harvey and Texas recovery, visit the Hurricane Harvey disaster Web page, the FEMA Harvey Facebook page, the @FEMARegion6 Twitter account and the Texas Division of Emergency Management website.
Eleanor Skelton 