Bathroom Water Damage Help

One of the most dreaded water damage mishaps to happen to a home is bathroom water damage, because it can range from clean water damage to sewage water damage and can occur in large volumes. Aside from basically ruining the structure, it’s also usually very difficult to repair or fix. However, its occurrence is sometimes inevitable so it’s better to be prepared, not to mention that it’s not that difficult to deal with as you have thought.

7 tips to help you fix bathroom water damage:

Toilet overflow causing bathroom water damage

Toilet overflow causing bathroom water damage

1. Stop at source: First, stop the flowing water in its primary source to make sure that further damage is prevented. If the cause is minor such as a backed up toilet that didn’t leak enough to soak the carpet, you can definitely handle the problem on your own without seeking professional help. However, if bigger damage is incurred, it may be worth the cost to hire a water damage repair expert who knows how to deal with issues such as water damaged carpets. Whatever your decision, you should always act quickly.

2. Baseboards: If there are wet wood baseboards then it’s best to remove them from the wall and allow the wall and baseboard to dry out before replacing them. If the baseboards have started to swell it may be best to throw them out and replace them with new ones once the walls have dried. If the baseboards are painted with semi-gloss or gloss paint then they won’t be able to breath and not removing them will prevent the walls from drying which could result in mold growth.

3. Flooring: If you have vinyl flooring and you think the water went under the vinyl then you should call a water damage restoration company because the vinyl may need to be removed. Water damage tends to loosen the adhesive backing and can cause mold growth under the vinyl flooring. Another factor to consider would be the subfloor – is it wet and does it need to be dried too (for example if it were made of a wood-based material like particle board). If you floor was installed prior to the 1980s please also keep in mind that there could be asbestos in either the 9×9 vinyl tiles or the adhesive backing of vinyl sheeting. An asbestos abatement company would need to be called in to remove the vinyl flooring to prevent the water damage from getting worse.

4. Protective clothing: If you think you can fix the problem yourself, don’t forget to wear protective clothing such as a pair of gloves, goggles and boots to prevent harmful waste and chemical contaminant. This is particularly important if the water damage is a result of a toilet backflow. Our recommendation in case of a sewage backflow is to call a professional restoration company right away. Most homeowners attempt to dry everything in a sewage situation and don’t realize the dangers involved with that. Insurance companies and all restoration companies know the importance of removing affected materials under containment and then applying an antimicrobial before drying out the remaining structure.

major water damage in a bathroom from a flood

Flood water damage to a bathroom

5. Contents: If objects such as towels, soaps, shampoos or any similar items have been soaked and contaminated by the backed up water, it is best to get rid of them completely to avoid any exposure to contaminant that can affect your health and family’s health. It’s cheaper to replace these items than it is to decontaminate them and dry them effectively.

6. Concider professional: If the mess caused by the water damage is extensive, you might want to utilize a shop vac to restore the bathroom than to use a mop which will take most of your time and energy. If it’s very big then a professional water damage restoration company will have water extraction pumps and the necessary equipment to get rid of the water quickly to prevent secondary water damage.

7. Antimicrobials: Once you got rid of all the accumulated water, it’s time to disinfect your bathroom using bleach and water mixed in the right proportions. If you want to use other cleaning products, make sure to follow instructions correctly. A restoration company makes use of commercial grade antimicrobials that homeowners can’t get hold of. They are safe to use and the MSDS sheet should be available for any homeowner wanting to view it.

8. Drying bathroom: After the disinfection process, you can leave all your bathroom’s doors and windows open to begin the drying process and prevent any secondary water damage such as mold growth. If you can turn on your air-conditioner then do so, it will act like a dehumidifier and help dry the air. If there was a large amount of water then dehumidifiers and air movers may be required to speed along the drying process.

These are easy and convenient steps that you can follow to fix minor bathroom water damage, but as always our recommendation is to call a professional restoration company like PuroClean to help evaluate whether you can do it yourself or if you need some assistance.

About Dan Camara

Dan Camara is the CEO of PuroClean Home Rescue in Sacramento. We have been helping the good folks of Northern California with water damage dryouts, mold removal and fire cleanups for nearly 5 years now. Connect with me on Google+
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