How To Clean A Flooded Apartment

10 Signs of Flood Damage

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There are several telltale signs of flood damage in homes and cars. These may be caused by natural disasters like tornado damage, or the flooding could be caused by appliance malfunctions. Here are 10 signs of flood damage.

Electrical Short Outs

When a house suffers flood damage, it can cause electrical short outs. Take steps to ensure the power is shut off before entering such homes, reports the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources.

Stains and Discoloration

Look at your ceiling and see if you can spot stains and discoloration. Ceilings might turn yellow, brown or copper and be wet or dry. Walls might have stains, peeling or cracked paint, claims Resolve by Lowe's.

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Check Floor Textures

Flood damage on floors can be visible as changes in textures. Perhaps there's warping, buckling or sinking in parts of the home. Sometimes, laminate and wood floors will even expand due to damage from floods, reports Resolve by Lowe's.

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Musty Smells

Not all flood damage is easily spotted. In these cases, see if there's a musty odor in the air, advises Resolve by Lowe's. Musty odors indicate potential mold, which is a sign of flooding.

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Check for Standing Water

Look in all of the corners of your home and see if you can find standing water. That's a telltale sign of flood damage, which can be due to natural disasters or even appliance malfunctions, notes Resolve by Lowe's.

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Doors and Windows Won't Open

Whenever homes suffer flood damage, their doors and windows won't open, says The Washington Post. Sometimes, the window glass will shatter due to the damage.

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Leaky Ceiling

If you're noticing water leaking into your home from the ceiling, chances are, you have flood damage in your attic. That can lead to mold and electrical problems with appliances housed in your attic, says National Disaster Recovery.

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Wet Basement Floors

Basements can be flooded due to sewer line problems or from surface water, claims the Washington State Department of Health. Cut off electricity, pump the water out and dry the basement out as soon as possible.

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Cars with Mismatched Carpeting

Flood damage in cars can sometimes be disguised, notes Carfax. One sign of this is mismatched carpeting, which might also be matching but appear loose or stained.

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Cars with Rust

While there are ways to make a car appear to not have flood damage, one way to check is looking for rust. The rust might be around the doors or inside the hood, reports Carfax.

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