Water damage is the most serious issue your home can suffer. If you do not deal with it properly, uncontrolled water can wreak havoc on your home, causing thousands of dollars in Water Damage Repair and remediation costs. Although not every homeowner is ever fully prepared to deal with a water damage emergency, knowing how to react promptly to the unexpected issue of water damage can be very difficult.
You do not have enough time to waste in dealing with water damage repair because mould can start developing in as little as 24 hours. Therefore, your priority is to stop leakage and contact a professional plumber to start taking the proper water damage restoration steps. Here are 9 essential water damage restoration steps that you will need to take in the event of a household water emergency in 2022.
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Monitor The Serious Issues:
Properly check and inspect the damaged material for mould and mildew. However, the mould can start growing very fast. For long-term issues, such as mould caused by attic condensation, the mould may have started growing a long time ago. While if you find mould and mildew, you need to be very careful because some mould is toxic to humans, and all mould is very damaging to the material it infests. If you find a small mould issue, you may be able to perform the Water Damage Repair operation without taking help from professionals. On the other hand, an emergency plumber should repair an invasive mould issue.
Locate Water Source:
Generally, homes have three types of water flowing through them at any given time. The first type is clean water which comes from rain and leaky pipes and is the easiest for you to clean on your own. The second type is called greywater. This water comes from different appliances like washing machines, dishwashers, and toilets. This water may contain contaminants which make it difficult to ensure proper cleanup.
The last water category that you may encounter during a water leak is called black water. This water includes sewage and other contaminants. This type of water is filthy and may originate from a nearby river. We do not suggest dealing with repairs to the water damage caused by black water because it may contain contaminants and bacteria that may be harmful.
Remove and Toss Damaged Porous Materials:
The porous materials like carpet, insulation, fabric, and similar things. While if they have been soaked in water, you may have to cut them out and throw them away. Water will shrink or warp the porous materials and permanently damage them, and mildew will damage them further. Additionally, if you have your favourite piece of furniture that you want to save, you could try isolating and drying it out. Still, the damage may already be done, especially if you see drywall water damage.
Dry Out water Damage and Remove Humidity:
Wear protective gear before starting the drying process. Determine what is salvageable and remove anything too damaged or no longer safe to use. Use buckets or plastic bags to remove a lot of standing water. After that, use a mop to absorb excess water in hard-to-reach areas. Get a wet-dry vacuum to finish the job once most of the water is gone and allow the area to ventilate and dry thoroughly. A dehumidifier will speed up this process. While if there is not too much water, you can use a wet-dry vacuum from the beginning. After removing all the standing water, you will still have to tend to damp things, especially if you live in a very humid area.
Disinfect the Entire Area:
To ensure all mould and bacteria have been removed, take some time to disinfect the entire area that has been affected by your Water Damage Repair efforts. You can disinfect the area by simply using a bleach solution. Don’t forget to disinfect any items in the affected area to make sure any mould or bacteria is removed.
Don’t Forget to Call Your Insurance Company:
Your insurance for homeowners will vary depending on what policies you have. When you call your insurance company, they will send an adjuster to see and assess the damage and determine if it is covered loss. Document the values of every item you can think of and take as many photos as possible before, during, and after restoration. It will help the adjuster to come to assess the damage.
Protect Your Safety:
After cutting off the water flow, quickly disable all sources of electricity in the affected areas. We all know that water is a good conductor of electricity that puts you and your loved ones in a hazardous position if you let the normal electrical flow persist. Once you safely reach your circuit breaker panel, turn off all the circuits of the affected areas. Proceed by shutting off and unplugging all the electrical devices in each affected room.
If you find yourself in danger of flooding, evacuate all your family members and your pets immediately. Even if the water damage starts from leaky pipes or burst water heater, pets and children may be at great risk for injury. Therefore make sure they remain contained in a safe area.
Immediately Start Water Damage Restoration Process:
If you also dried out, cleaned, or thrown away your furniture, depending on the level of the water damage.Water Damage Repair should start as soon as possible, or within 24 to 48 hours after you have been cleared to re-enter your home. In most situations, the water damage is too extensive for one person or family. In this case, take help from a water damage restoration service to stay safe and ensure the water damage removal process is done correctly. Be aware that you may need to clean flooring, drywall, and insulation to prevent mould and mildew from spreading. Moreover, water and moisture can damage hardware floorings very quickly; therefore, you should start this process soon.
Check the Roof and Siding of your Home:
If the roof and siding of your home are not properly sealed, you may have to face a costly Water Damage Repair project from excess moisture. Carefully inspect your entire home for potential weak spots and repair or replace siding and shingles to ensure water stays outside your home.
Conclusion:
It is the time when you need to deal with broken pipes, leaking appliances, or sometimes more serious issues such as sewer backups and flooded basements.Water Damage Repair is a costly and time taking process. Most of the time, the damage is too extensive, and you can’t handle it on your own, but initially, you can follow the steps mentioned above to prevent your home from bigger damage.
Author Bio:- Billy Hust
Billy is a marketing manager at EZ Restoration USA. Her extensive knowledge of plumbing services has helped many people to overcome water damage and slab leak repair issues in their homes and offices. Through her blogs, she shares valuable information to the people across the USA about the advantages of AC & other appliances installation in San Diego, why regular maintenance of the HVAC system is required, and how to detect, prevent, and fix the water damage and slab leaks in your property.
Stay tuned with her recent posts and lead a comfortable life through extensive information on signs of issues in plumbing and HVAC systems and the right solution to fix them.