The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) says floods are the most common and costly natural disaster in the United States. Just an inch of water damage can cause irreparable damage to your property. Floods cause close to $8 billion in damage each year in the U.S. alone.
Nobody wants to deal with a flooded apartment, whether caused by hurricanes or a burst pipe. The effects are sometimes severe, and the stress of not knowing what to do can make everything feel worse.
For homeowners, repairing damages is up to them and their insurance company. Flood-prone area residents must check their policy to confirm their coverage.
For renters, it’s different, and the responsible party isn’t always obvious. Does it fall under your landlord’s responsibilities or yours? It all depends on local renter laws on who will be held liable.
What to do if a room is flooding?
Many things can cause a flooded apartment — heavy rains, leaky roofs, street flooding, leaking pipes, clogged pipes and even an overflowing sink. It’s vital to respond immediately to avoid further structural repairs.
When the water begins to flood your apartment, you first need to find out where the water is coming from, like overflowing sinks. If possible, turn off the water source if it’s within your apartment.
If a leak is coming from the ceiling, call one of the property managers on call and head to your neighbors to help them find the water source. Move as many of your belongings to a safe area as you can because the water can rise significantly in a short amount of time.
As you fill out important paperwork for the insurance, make sure that this wasn’t a known issue within the apartments.
What if it’s due to weather or heavy rainfall?
Your safety is the most important thing in any extreme situation. If you can, prepare in advance for severe weather that can cause flooding.
Take some quick preemptive steps to protect your stuff by placing all valuable items, electronics and your waterproof safety box up as high as you can in your apartment.
Check with your landlord to see if they’re boarding up windows in case of a hurricane or other disaster.
Heavy rain can also cause flooding, especially with the overflow streams nearby. Act quickly to protect your valuables and cover them with plastic or put them high up for proper storage. Remember that valuables can be replaced, so stay safe and move away from any moving water or significant flooding.
Coming back when your apartment floods
Not all floods give you time to prepare, and not all require you to leave. But you’re responsible for your personal valuables, so make sure you do what you can. If you do evacuate, don’t return to the flooded apartments until authorities deem it safe, and never drive through areas that are still flooded.
When it’s time to return to the apartments, take extra precautions before surveying the flood damage. Unknown dangers can remain in a flooded apartment, even after the storm.
- Wear protective clothing like long-sleeve shirts, long pants, rubber gloves and waterproof boots.
- Look carefully for mold, especially if you suffer from asthma, allergies or other breathing conditions.
- Check ceilings and floors for sagging, holes or other signs of structural damage. Even a small crack can make the apartment unsafe.
- Ask the property owner to shut off any electrical, water or gas lines.
- Check for insects, snakes or any other animals that the flood may have brought into your home.
What is the best thing to do after your apartment floods?
In the immediate aftermath of the flooding, your insurance or the apartment complex will let you know what type of temporary living situation you have access to.
With the apartment flooded, you’ll need to evacuate to a safe location until structural repairs are made, things drain properly and the property owner checks for mold growth and creates a safe space for you to return to.
Documenting for the insurance company
Once you’re sure it’s safe to return to your apartment, you can assess the damage. This first step will make it easier to create a cleanup plan.
- Begin by documenting everything. Keep track of anything that’s severely damaged, whether your personal property or the apartment.
- Take pictures. Photos are the easiest way to show the damage to the apartment and your stuff.
- Make a list. As you snap photos, it’s a good idea to make a physical list of everything you’re catching on film. As things get fixed or replaced, you can cross them off.
- Track your expenses. Hold on to invoices and receipts if you remove flood water or repair any damages to your apartment. You should get reimbursed, but you’ll need proof.
Cleaning up and getting “back to business” after a flood is not a short-term process. In the most severe cases, it can take months to recover fully.
How do you clean up flooded apartments?
When dealing with the aftermath of a flooded apartment, the best tip is to start with small valuables first. Don’t dive into the major issues first. Accomplish the little things while waiting for professionals to come in and take care of the bigger problems.
- Rescue your most important items, especially things that are irreplaceable. Clothes, books and other replaceable items can wait.
- Move dry items to a central location where they’ll stay safe. You may want to cover them with a tarp to be extra careful.
- Move wet furniture out of your apartment and place it somewhere it can dry out safely.
- Throw out any consumables that came into contact with floodwaters, even in a sealed container.
If it’s OK, purchase some box fans to plug in and leave running to help evaporate any remaining water.
Your property manager should focus on getting the water out of your apartment. Floodwater is dirty, and the residual mud can contain tons of harmful contaminants. Heating and cooling ducts should get checked for mud, as well. It must get removed before you use these systems.
Once dry and clear, it’s time to clean. You’ll want to disinfect all the surfaces in your apartment. Clean using a heavy-duty sponge, hot water and a strong cleaner. Use a mixture of 1/4 cup of bleach per gallon of water.
The restoration process might be lengthy depending on the flooding that occurred. Multiple flooded apartments may need a complete demo to prevent mold and build new walls.
Your own insurance company will let you know how to proceed with reimbursing your valuables following the apartment flooding.
Communicating with those who can help
Your apartment flooded and there are two critical people you need to stay in constant communication with — your apartment’s property owner and your insurance adjuster.
Both will help get things repaired, keep you aware of the legally required paperwork and replace items as necessary. Not to mention ensure the costs don’t fall on you.
Renters insurance and flooding
Most renters insurance policies don’t cover water damage sustained through flooding. However, it may be possible to get insurance with a flood clause for flood-prone areas, primarily due to hurricanes. It will help cover possible emergencies and resolve insurance claims faster.
This is different from standard insurance since it only covers the stuff inside a structure. Regular flood insurance covers the structure itself.
Your primary insurance policy will cover water damage that results from burst pipes, plumbing issues and a broken appliance that leaks. However, you need to make sure it covers your belongings if a flood occurs. Check if your apartment is in one of the flood-prone areas online.
No matter the cause of your damage, report everything to your insurance. A standard renters policy may cover some of the costs of displacement and temporary relocation or another element related to the flood you hadn’t thought about.
Structural damage and your property manager
Damages to the apartment and building itself are likely the building owner’s responsibility. The property owner’s insurance should cover structural damages and anything that’s part of the unit’s interior like carpets, walls and windows following the apartment flooding.
Make sure you report everything and follow up if you feel like repairs aren’t getting scheduled or managed correctly.
It’s OK to cut your losses
If the apartment flood was severe enough, there could be damage to the flooring, walls or the actual structure of the apartment for the first few floors. There could even be mold growth if repairs are delayed.
Work with your property manager to establish a timeline for a safe return and how that impacts paying rent.
If your apartment won’t be ready before your lease is up, negotiate to break your lease without having a penalty to pay. Or, they can move you to an equivalent apartment somewhere else in the complex.
Protect yourself and your personal property
No matter the cause, water damage leftover from flooding can lead to months of issues.
Whether waiting for an insurance check to replace items or inviting repair personnel into the apartment buildings to handle structural issues, it can feel hard to leave the flooding incident behind.
Knowing what to do and who to talk to after your apartment floods are the most helpful first steps.
