Water damage can happen at any time of the year. Flooding, as caused by mother nature, can happen virtually in any place and at any time. Flood damage can be extensive and overwhelm you emotionally and financially. When this happens to you, you look for professionals who are trained in this area to make sure you get the best attention to your problem. There are some tips to follow when you fall victim to flooding and you need water damage restoration to your home or business. The damage can be extensive, so begin the process of restoration as soon as possible.
When flooding occurs, it happens at a slow or quick rate. Either way, you need to begin the process or restoration since waiting can impact the structural integrity of your home or building. It makes no difference whether the flooding that has impacted you is from torrential rains or from bursting pipes. Either way, time to get started.
1. Start by getting all the electricity turned off. You hate to work in the dark or in poorly lit areas, but it’s better than being electrocuted. Being safe as you work is of prime importance, and, you’ll have a piece of mind knowing your outlets are not “hot”. For safety’s sake, make sure all gas lines and appliances are turned off. Better safe than sorry.
2.Once the electricity and/or gas lines have been taken care of, you are able to go around and start inspecting the premises of your home or business. The next part of your restoration process is to check for the mold that will begin to grow or has begun growing. Mold can be scary. You don’t necessarily have to see it to feel its effects. It can be a major health problem. If not found, and all of it removed, it can continue to grow and be a health hazard to family and employees. Mold can grow quickly, and, if bad enough, you’ll have to stop any excess air flowing that can transport mold and bring it to other places that have not been affected by it yet. It can also be breathed in, which can cause respiratory issues.
3. Now that you have removed all the mold the best that you could, you want to be sure to get all the remaining water out. If it lies in puddles then that’s not a problem. You can use vacuums designed for water cleaning up. If you have quite a lot of water, you may need a professional so your water damage restoration will be less of a problem. Even though the water appears to be dried out, you’ll need to use a dehumidifier to take out more water. The water is going to build up. It gets in the tiniest of places, so a dehumidifier will do well in drying out the air.
4. What is important in this type of restoration is the removal of damaged and contaminated material. Material that’s been exposed to water for periods of time will become unusable. It will be harder and more expensive to clean and repair than to just replace it in the first place. Some materials like carpet and the padding under it will just have to be replaced since they are almost always worthless once they’re exposed to water and become extensively moldy.
5. Whatever remains from the water damage will have to be disinfected. You don’t want to risk illness from materials that contain bacteria from flooding waters. Flood waters, wherever it’s from, is not clean. Be careful and disinfect it well.