Having a pipe burst in your home can be a truly stressful issue to deal with. If it’s not solved quickly, your home can flood, leaving lots of damage behind. If a pipe has burst on your property, there are a variety of things that must be done in order to minimize damage. After the issue has been solved, there’s also the process of assessing and fixing the existing damage. Follow these tips following an accident to help alleviate some of your stress and return your property to its original shape.

Stop the Source: If your home is flooding, stop the problem before it gets worse. Access your main water shutoff valve near your water meter in order to stop the flow. While this won’t be able to help with any of the existing damage, it can prevent any additional water damage from occurring.

Disconnect Electronics: Electronics are highly sensitive to water damage. Electronics still plugged in to outlets can also cause harm due to electrocution. Water is a conduit to electricity, so if there is significant flooding in your home, be sure to quickly disconnect all electrical appliances that could pose a potential risk. Never enter the water yourself; instead, look for a main shutoff on the outside of your home or call a professional for help.

Remove Standing Water: Get the water out of your home quickly before additional damage occurs. Contact a water cleaning professional that accepts emergency calls in order to deal with the issue in a timely manner. Letting water sit for too long can result in mold growth. If there are any drains in the flooded area, or if your property has a working sump pump, remove the excess water. Even a simple mop and bucket can wipe up some of the flooded mess. After, use a wet-dry vacuum on less accessible areas.

Drying Moisture: After removing the water, get to work on drying the flooded area. Even if the assistance of a restoration contractor is coming, the quicker water is removed, the less damage is done. Open up windows in order to let the moisture escape, as well as use any and all dehumidifiers available.

Contact A Professional: If you’re left struggling with a burst pipe and flooded home, don’t wait until the damage gets worse before calling a water restoration contractor —the help of a trained professional can make the difference between getting coverage for manageable damage versus dealing with costly repairs. Water restoration contractors assist you in finding out if you have insurance coverage to cover the water damage event. These contractors assess damage, provide estimates, and speak with insurance companies, among other tasks.

It can be stressful to deal with a burst pipe and a flooded house, so don’t make it any harder than it needs to be —use the help of professionals in order to fix damage and quickly return your home to its original state.