What to do with water damage

Smart homeowners who live in areas where the risk of water damage to their home from a natural disaster can be expected, have a disaster recovery plan in place to deal with this possibility. Knowing the steps you need to take ahead of time can give you a head start when water damage occurs and confidence in your ability to regain the use of your home as quickly and as inexpensively as possible.

What to do with water damage image

Water damage can be compex to deal with. Call a professional.

A positive first step in formulating a water damage recovery plan will be to identify the areas that you are able to work on and the areas where you will need the services of a professional water damage remediation company. Taking the time to identify a reputable water damage remediation company before it is needed will save you time and worry, and also save you from dealing with the many fly-by-night outfits that pop out of the woodwork when disasters strike.

Once you have identified a good water damage remediation company to use should it become necessary, it is time to make a list of things that you are able to do yourself to get the process of putting your home back into shape started. One way to start building this list is to ask the company you plan to work with for any suggestions that they may have. As an addition, we have listed a few basic water damage tips of our own listed below to help you get started. 

  • Since mold removal is the most difficult task to accomplish you have to stop its growth by any means possible. The first thing that you should do is turn of the source of the water damage and then open all of the windows (if safe to do so) so that you help remove the dampness and humidity that mold thrives on.
  • Remove all rugs from the house so that they can be aired out to remove the absorbed moisture. Removing them will also help reduce the overall water in the room and can help with dryout. Don’t attempt to remove the wall-to-wall carpeting without speaking to a mitigation company first, as most times the carpets can be saved through extraction and drying.
  • Its is best to turn off electricity in the affected areas so that there is no risk of any electrical hazards such as exposed wires coming in contact with water or water damaged walls, which can be equally as dangerous.
  • If furniture can not be removed from the effected areas, put blocks of wood or squares of aluminum foil under the legs to raise the furniture above water soaked flooring and prevent staining of carpets and other floor coverings.
  • Remove all wet fabrics such as curtains/drapes and throw cushions from standing water to prevent water staining. An alterative is to hang your curtains from coat hangers to keep them out of the water.
  • If safe to do so, remove as much excess water as possible with a wet/dry vacuum or mopping. Don’t attemp this step if you’re dealing with sewage, storm water or any other unsanitary water. 
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Protect your carpets when they're wet from water damage

    These are some of the tips that can prove useful in speeding up the restoration process, however you should also be aware of certain things that you must avoid doing so that you do not add to the current problem. The things that you need to avoid at all costs include: 

  • Avoid using a home vacuum cleaner for the purpose of removing water from your house. Vacuums are not designed for this task and could give you a nasty shock or worse.
  • Avoid entering areas that still contain standing water without switching off the electricity. Electric shock is something you can definitely do without. You should also avoid walking on wet carpets as much as possible to avoid carpet delamination.
  • Avoid using electrical appliances while you are standing in water.
  • Don’t leave newspapers or magazines in standing water on carpets, because the print and pictures can run and leave permament stains on the carpet.
  • If the water is contaminated (for example sewage water) avoid walking in it and spreading to previsouly uncontaminated areas. 

If you follow the above mentioned tips you can help in mitigating the damage to your home and also reduce additional damage to your home and your person. These steps may also help you in bringing down your overall job costs. 

Keep in mind that there are many things that should only be handled by a professional, water damage remediation company like PuroClean Home Rescue. These companies will have the right equipment for tasks such as water extraction to lower the moisture content in your house and the expertise to ensure your home will be clean, sanitary, and mold free when the water damage clean up is complete.

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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One Response to What to do with water damage

  1. Pingback: Introduction to Storm Water Damage | Water Damage & Mold Removal Blog

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