RIA Offers After the Flooding Tips

COLUMBIA, Md., May 3 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Restoration Industry Association (RIA) has these tips for individuals impacted by the flooding in the Tennessee region and now working on cleaning up in the aftermath:

• Notify your insurance company of the loss.
• Keep a notebook to track dates and times of conversations with individuals pertaining to your claim.
• Save receipts for meals, hotels, toiletries, replacement clothing, prescriptions, etc.
• Take photos of each room for future reference and insurance claims. This will provide a digital inventory of some visible contents.
• If electrical appliances, including televisions and computers are damaged by water, do not turn them back on when power is restored. This can result in electric shock and/or do further damage to the appliance. Electronics can often be cleaned & restored by contractors who know what they're doing.
• Drywall, insulation and carpeting/padding impacted by the muddy water will probably need to be removed and replaced.
• Beware of scammers offering restoration services. Check references and visit the Restoration Industry Association website – www.restorationindustry.org – to find a contractor.
• Wear heavy rubber gloves or work gloves and thick-soled shoes, preferably not tennis shoes.
• Wash your hands frequently – especially before touching your face or eating.
• Be careful of muddy water – there can be sharp items such as broken glass, nails, etc.
• Avoid cross contamination – don't wear dirty clothes or shoes to the clean part of the house.
• Drink lots of water to stay hydrated.
• Don't use bleach to disinfect since it is corrosive and can react with other substances. Use household disinfectants.
• Open windows to ventilate the area. Open drawers and cabinets for interior drying, but don't force them open.
• Remove standing water from flat surfaces by sponging and blotting.
• Hard surfaces can be disinfected as well as some soft goods, depending on washability.

For clean up tips, information on hiring a contractor, and restoration & remediation in general,  visit the RIA website at www.restorationindustry.org and click on the Consumer link.

The Restoration Industry Association (formerly the Association of Specialists in Cleaning & Restoration) has member firms worldwide. RIA provides industry leadership, supports science, and promotes best practices for cleaning and restoration. More information is available on the RIA website: www.restorationindustry.org.

SOURCE Restoration Industry Association

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