We all like to think that we have knowledge and skill when it comes to DIY. But for most of us, that’s just not the case. Many will struggle to find the right approach and may make crucial mistakes that could lead to a DIY disaster.
You could damage your home, destroy an entire room and leave yourself with an expensive clean up. Or, even be left trying to explain to the authorities exactly what caused the fire in your once beautiful front room.
Perhaps the best advice here is to stay away from DIY altogether and instead use the services of a professional. Of course, if you can’t do that we need to think about how to deal with things when everything does go awry.
The main DIY disasters are either going to be a home flooding or a house fire and both can be dealt with if you act quickly.
The House Is On Fire!
As I am not a professional within fire safety, please always contact one immediately and use the following thoughts and tips as you deem relevant. Calling 911 first is always the best method to get professional advice on the line, and professional help at your home.
If you think the blaze is small enough, make sure that you go to the kitchen. Fill a bowl with water and throw it over the flame. You might also want to try starving the fire.
For instance, if it’s in the front room, pulling down the curtains and dropping them over it may suppress it. If the fire is already out of control, call the authorities once everyone is safely out of the house.
There is no point playing hero in this situation. You might think fires due to DIY accidents are rare but you’d be surprised. Usually, they are caused by someone messing around with the electric lines in the home. One spark here are there can easily cause a nasty blaze.
We’re Knee Deep In Water
Usually, this is going to happen when you have a problem with the plumbing that you tried to fix yourself. You might try and take a part a pipe and soon find you’re in over your head.
Or, you could try and fix a complex problem with a simple solution. When you do this, you might find that one day you’re sitting down for dinner when water explodes through the ceiling. Although, anyone who pays attention would probably notice the growing damp patch before that happened.
Again, it’s best to call a plumber to fix the problem immediately.
Water damage can cause a whole range of issues in the home including structural damage. Don’t just ignore it if it’s somewhere that you don’t really care about like the basement.
Clean Up Crew
Once the main problem is dealt with you need to think about the clean up. Make sure that you do get professionals in to salvage what remains of your home.
If you use a ServiceMaster Restoration by Zaba or a similar company, you might find that the damage isn’t as bad as you first thought. It can be quickly dealt with and sooner than you think your house could be looking like it used to.
There is however the sight problem of lost possessions and damaged items.
Claiming Insurance
Your last job is to contact your insurance company.
You need to check what they will and won’t cover. Usually, they’ll expect you to provide evidence that the items you lost existed or were in quality condition.
This is where those family videos and photos come in handy.
