Whether you’ve had a leaky ceiling that has spilled out onto your bookshelf, a burst pipe flooding your kitchen, or a massive storm flood your home, every single house is going to have to deal with water damage at some point. No matter the size of the water damage, you need to know how to deal with it safely and also how to ensure that your property is restored after the water incident in your home.
Here’s what you need to know about the aftermath of experiencing water related damage, whether it was a trickle or a flood!
Remove Any Standing Water
Once you have been able to find and shut off or contain the source of whatever is leaking, you need to remove any standing water in your home. Whether it is a thin sheen of standing water on your floors or standing water that is waist high, you need to remove it. For small leaks and messes you can use towels to wipe up and soak up all of the water, while for larger messes you might need to grab a specialized vacuum to suck up all the water and move it outside.
source: pinterest.com
In the case of flooding, the water may contain hazardous materials such as sewage or other chemicals, and you might need to prepare yourself with protective gear before interacting with such water.
Shut off the Power
Be extremely careful of any waterlogged appliances or electrical sockets, as water and electricity do not mix at all. Make sure your power is fully shut off and take proper care when moving and working in areas with both water damage and electricity.
Take Lots Of Pictures And Call Your Insurance Company
Depending on the type of insurance that you have for water damage, you might be able to have some if not all of the damage covered. Still, be sure to take lots of pictures to show off the extent of the water damage as well as the effect the water has had on certain items. The more proof you have when it comes to the effects of water damage in your home… the better your claim will be, and you may be able to get some damaged items fully replaced or receive compensation for them.
How To Ensure Your Water Damaged Items Are Safe
But even if you manage to get the home or the affected rooms cleared of standing water, chances are the items inside of those rooms have been waterlogged. In some cases, the water damage can be minor and easily fixed, while in other cases the items can be irreparably damaged.
source: pinterest.com
Putting damage items in the sun, under air conditioning, or in a closed room with a dehumidifier can be extremely helpful in getting the water out of them. But be sure to move fast on this if you can, because the faster you remove the water from your home and the faster you start to dry out waterlogged items, the faster you reduce the chances of mold and mildew infesting the household.
Look At The Structure Of Your Home
While it is very easy to focus on the items in your home and making sure that they are replaced or repaired following exposure to any amount of water, you also need to make sure that you are examining the rest of the room as well. For example, if your living room is flooded it might be easy to only focus on the furniture inside of the room, but the walls and floor can become water damaged also, and that can lead to big problems.
Water damage to your walls and floors often means that their is the potential for mold, mildew, and pests to infest both your walls and or the underside of your floor, and that can be hazardous to your family’s health as well as expensive to fully repair. So if you suspect that a water accident could have caused structural problems to your home, then you need to work with a water damage restoration team in order to make sure that your home is protected from water damage. They will be able to provide a professional clean up of your home, and also can prevent another leak or flood from happening again. Plus, they know how to inspect for mold and other signs of damage to your home as well, and can clean that up too.
Make Sure You Get An Inspection On Your Items Too
While some of your items can be very easy to dry out with the aid of the sun, the air conditioner, or some home remedies and tricks, others might need to be professionally dried out or will need to be examined by a professional. Many water damage restoration experts will help you fix your furniture, or point you to organizations that can do so.
source: pinterest.com
This is especially helpful if you have wooden furniture or paper products or other items that don’t react well when they have the chance to absorb water. So don’t be afraid to reach out to professionals and ensure that you get a proper inspection of your items. They might even be able to assure you that an item you previously thought was damaged and needed to be thrown out is actually repairable or can be restored!
Move Fast On Water Damage
Whether you have a burst pipe or a leaky ceiling, you need to move quickly whenever it comes to repairing water damage. The more water that can get into your home from a leak, and the longer that pools or puddles of standing water sit undisturbed in your home, the worse everything is going to be for you, your family, and your furniture. So be proactive and don’t wait to clean the water up, and if it looks to be more of a problem than you can handle, reach out to a water restoration company for help getting your home back to being a dry place!
