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Victims of a flood who lose electronic items do not usually agree with their insurance company’s adjuster on how to deal with the damaged items. One side may think that item can be replaced while another side thinks the items will need to be repaired.

Due to the differing beliefs on how to deal with the electronic equipment, a plan was devised and set up to determine if the victims equipment would be tossed out or repaired.

Above anything else, the victims insurance company will use the adjuster to determine how bad the flooding was to the home. Was the electrical equipment exposed to water through a tsunami/tidal wave or a leaky roof?

According to the NEMA guide on Evaluating Water Damaged Electrical Equipment, electronics that are submerged or touched by contaminated water (water that has sewage, chemicals, oil or other contaminants) may not work as they previously had before the flood occurred.

Once it has been determined how extensive the damage is, the adjuster will need to determine what equipment had been damaged such as an electronic, sealed, etc. Items such as motor control, wiring devices, motors, cable trays, electrical distribution, etc. each have to be considered, whether or not salvaging them is worthwhile. There are other considerations to looks at as well including but not limited to: how much it would cost to repair the item in lieu or replacement, how easy it is to repair the item and if the contaminated factor can be dealt with.

The next thing an insurance adjuster will look at is the kind of liquid that caused the electrical damage. Did the equipment become damaged from water alone or did it have chemicals, sewage and other nasty materials in it? Salt water can cause severe damage to electronics, most beyond repair.

If the insurance company chooses to repair or refurbish any electrical equipment, it becomes the owner/victims responsibility to read the owners manual and seek assistance in making the necessary repairs. However, if the flood victim has questions about how to do any kind of cleaning or repairs, its necessary for him or her to obtain the assistance from the original business manufacturer. If they proceed to clean the equipment without getting the recommended assistance, its highly probable that the equipment will become further damaged. Two possible reasons for this problem is using inappropriate cleaning agents or not cleaning it correctly.

After its been determined that repairing or refurbishing will not be a viable solution, total replacement is done. This usually occurs due to three reasons including coarse cleaning techniques, the insulating materials and electrical-conducting surfaces were damaged beyond repair and could cause a fire or shock should it overheat.