Water damage or natural disasters can happen at any time in your area or home. In other words, it is one of the most common and severe emergencies your home or business can ever experience. There are many causes of water damage like HVAC leak, busted pipes, sewage backup, storm, flood, etc.
However, it does not take long to mop up a spill in any of your house floors. That means if water splashes out from the tub or bucket, you can clean it with some cloth or with a mop. These small things will work great on small mishaps. But if your home has faced severe water damage, you have to take some quick action so that your property will not suffer from severe damage.
So, if you want to make yourself ready for such water damage, read this post till last. Through it, you will come to know what are the things you have to do in a water damage situation.
Let’s get started and find out the steps in case of water damage: –
Contact your insurance company.
Your insurance company is one of the vital resources to help you navigate a water damage emergency. But before that, you have to make yourself ready for it with the below tips: –
- Make sure you take photos of the damaged areas and any affected valuables.
- Call the insurance company as soon as possible, just after the water damage, and find out the steps to take that are needed by the insurance company.
- Next, call the claims adjuster on-site as soon as possible to document the damage and estimate the repair cost.
- Keep all the records and receipts.
- Protect yourself.
Whether the flooding or water damage has stopped, it can still pose several dangers to you and your family members. That means if you have left your home during the water damage, wait for the local authorities to update you to go home.
Apart from that, before you enter your home, check for any severe damage that can spell accidents like cracked foundations, broken ceilings or floors, etc.
Moreover, do not enter a standing water room until the electricity is off. Along with it, ensure you do not use any of the electrical appliances when the carpet or flooring is wet. Do not try to disturb the visible mold, and also wear protective gear before entering the home.
- Start the drying process immediately.
It is good to call a Professional water damage restoration company for the repair, but before that, make sure to start the drying process if you can rent large air movers and also dehumidifiers to speed up the drying process.
But make sure you will do all these things while taking proper precautions.
- Address mold damage.
Mold indeed grows in water and moisture, and mould can quickly develop within 24-48 hours after the water damage, so you have to take immediate steps. To address the mold, you can use a typical home cleaner like soap and bleach, but this method will not eliminate the problem in many cases.
Moreover, if you see mold in more than 6 square feet, you must call mold restoration professionals to assess the damage.
- Stop the water damage.
Water damage will happen due to any reason which we have discussed above. So, ensure you identify and stop the water from entering your home. For this, follow the below steps: –
- Most of the water damage can be caused due to burst pipes or hot water heater leakage. So, ensure you shut-off the valves timely.
- If there is a flood in your area, you must take preventive measures like sandbagging and ditching.
- If you have a leaky ceiling, make sure you call an expert to pinpoint the actual source of the problem.
- Also, keep an eye on the signs of mold
- Get off to a safe start.
Water damage will bring many things along with damage like injuries, waterborne disease, bacteria, etc. So, before you enter the floodwater, ensure to wear protective gear suits like rubber boots, long-cuff gloves, etc.
Moreover, shut off the electricity from the primary source so that you will not get shocked.
- Proceed with necessary repairs
Once your home is clean and dry, make sure you start with the repair part. With the help of the report offered by your house inspector, you must inform your contractor about the repairs that need to be done. In the case of water damage, leaks must be addressed as soon as possible, and otherwise, various issues can occur.
Signs of home water damage
In many cases, the big problem of water damage starts with small, which means a tiny leak can easily ruin the ceiling or floors. So, if you look at the below sign in your home or business, call the expert in order to repair the damage.
- If you find soft spots in floors, especially around the bathtubs, which occur when any of the plumbing fixtures fail
- Ring-like stains on ceilings which are caused by loose shingles or flashing issues on the roof
- If your home gets persistent musty smell indicates hidden water damage in the home
- Mold and watermarks under the sinks also result from faulty supply lines of fixtures.
- Clogged gutters sometimes spill rain and debris down exterior walls, door frames, and soaking windows.
- If you notice, warped or loose baseboards show water damage hiding inside the walls.
If you notice any of the above signs in your home or business, don’t ignore them and call a water damage expert as soon as possible.
The bottom line
These are some of the helpful steps you have to do after water damage on your property. Flooding can indeed happen anytime and anywhere, so you have to be prepared for this situation. Act promptly and save your home from expensive and unnecessary repairs. After reading this post, I hope you get a clear idea of what to do and what not to do in a water damage situation!
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 it.
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