Water Damage Restoration Tips For Homeowners

Table of Contents

1. Water Damage Restoration[+]
   1. Enter Your Home Safely
   2. Turn Off The Power Source
   3. Take Photos For Documentation Purposes
   4. Determine The Different Types Of Water
   5. Check For Serious Issues Such As Mold
   6. Remove As Much Water As Possible
   7. Promote Ventilation
   8. Move Out Debris And Furniture
   9. Disinfect All Surfaces
   10. Hire A Water Damage Restoration Service

Water damage or flooding in your home can be a distressing ordeal. Whether you’re facing leaking appliances, broken pipes, or serious problems such as sewer backing up into your home or a flooded basement, it can bring about significant problems.

One of the main issues of concern regarding water damage is that mold can develop within 24 hours. Water damage can also cause a variety of safety hazards and structural issues in your home that aren’t noticeable until it’s too late. Therefore, it is best to hire a water damage restoration company like Catastrophe Solutions to avoid such problems.

Water Damage Restoration

Your main priority is to stop any leaks or the source of the problem. After dealing with the source, call a professional to start the necessary water damage restoration measures to fix and restore your home to its usual form after a flood and prevent further water damage. If you’re planning on hiring a professional, checking out reliable water damage restoration companies would be a good starting point, and you’ll have peace of mind knowing a professional will be repairing water damage in the best way possible.

If the water damage is minimal and you feel capable of tackling the restoration yourself, here are several tips when working on water damage restoration for your home:

1. Enter Your Home Safely

After extensive flooding from a storm or due to leaks from a plumbing problem, you should make sure your property is safe before starting with the cleanup and restoration.

In widespread flooding, the water will likely compromise the structural integrity of your home. Expect cracking walls or sagging ceilings.

Before entering your home, turn off the electricity and gas supply and always wear protective gear. Remember that the standing water might contain unseen contaminated foreign objects. Additionally, when standing water is present, you must be careful with your steps due to the risk of obstacles or slippery flooring.

2. Turn Off The Power Source

Before you attempt to remove the water in your home, you should prioritize safety by unplugging all electronics from the outlets and keeping them away from the water. If the water level continues to rise, secure all electronics to a higher floor or tall object.

Once you remove all electronics from the outlets, you need to turn off the power supply in your house. Doing so will ensure no electricity runs through the outlets, putting you at risk for electrocution, especially if the water reaches the outlets.

Additionally, even after removing the water from your home, avoid turning on any electronics until a professional electrician in Barwon Heads comes to perform a safety inspection.

3. Take Photos For Documentation Purposes

Before cleaning your home, you need to call your insurance company and make sure you take photos and videos for documentation. You have evidence of water damage to provide to your insurance company. Generally, your insurance company will send an adjuster to check and assess the damage and determine if it’s a covered loss.

Make sure to take photos of every corner of the room to show the water level clearly. You can even utilize a tape measure to show the height of the floodwater. These will serve as proof in case your insurance company declines your claims.

4. Determine The Different Types Of Water

If you haven’t experienced flooding before, you’ll encounter three different types of water.

• The clean water comes from rain, leaking pipes, or condensation. Generally, it’s harmless, and you can clean it up yourself.
• Gray water is slightly dirty water that might contain contaminants and usually comes from washing machines, dishwashers, or clean toilets. If you’re dealing with this type of water, you can tackle the cleaning but make sure to wear proper safety gear for protection.
• Dark water is sewage or flooding from nearby rivers or other water sources. This water contains bacteria, waste, and other detrimental contaminants and is capable of causing serious health problems. Avoid attempting to clean up this type of water and call a professional for water damage repair.

5. Check For Serious Issues Such As Mold

When your home sustains water damage, it’s likely for mold and mildew to form. Remember that mold can develop in the right conditions in just 24 hours.

Sadly, if you allow mold and mildew to develop, it can trigger health issues and damage to the materials where it grows.

If mold develops over a small section, you can clean the surface or cut out the infiltrated material. As for severe mold infestation, move out of the space, limit the airflow, and call a professional. Additionally, mold can also form in hidden areas of your home, such as the interior walls or below the flooring.

6. Remove As Much Water As Possible

Once you successfully stop the source of the flooding, you should immediately remove any leftover water in your home and avoid letting it sit around for a long time. Before anything else, you should always assume the floodwater is contaminated. With this in mind, make sure to wear protective clothing, rubber boots and gloves, and a mask.

If you allow water to linger in your home, mold will develop on the walls and floor. You might want to operate a wet vacuum cleaner that can suck large amounts of water for a quick and effortless removal process.

After removing most of the water from your home, get rid of the remaining using a squeegee or sponge. Mop the floor with clean water to get rid of any residue. Dry all remaining surfaces with towels.

However, if the floodwater is more than one foot deep, it’s best to call a professional to remove the water effectively. Generally, they can utilize pumps and specialized tools and equipment to remove the water without compromising the foundation of your home.

7. Promote Ventilation

After removing all water sources in your home, the next move is to provide good ventilation by keeping all windows and doors open to allow faster evaporation of water.

When the current weather does not allow good ventilation, it’s best to use a dehumidifier to deal with the humidity inside your home, keeping it dry and limiting the chances for mold to develop. Additionally, you can also use fans or air conditioning units to promote faster evaporation of water.

The extent of the drying process will depend on the amount of floodwater and the scope of the flooding. In most houses, it usually takes three to five days to dry thoroughly. The earlier you can start the drying process, the better the chances of preventing expensive repairs.

8. Move Out Debris And Furniture

Once you eliminate water in your home, the next move is to get any debris and furniture to allow them to dry out completely. Carefully check the furnishings to determine if you can still salvage them or if you need to throw them away.

When you have wooden furniture, inspect them thoroughly if the material is in workable condition since it’s likely to soften after prolonged exposure to water. Once you see any signs of weakness in the wood, it’s best to dispose of it right away.

As for upholstery furniture, you can decide whether to keep or dispose of them. Although you can readily hire a service to restore the furniture, it’s not a guarantee for the complete removal of mold. For porous materials such as carpet and insulation, you need to dispose of them right away to avoid mildew formation.

9. Disinfect All Surfaces

Depending on the floodwater in your home, it’s likely to contain contaminants and bacteria along with other hazards that can be harmful to health. Another concern is that the water will encourage mold growth, so it’s crucial to sanitize your home right away.

After removal of all damaged materials, start disinfecting all surfaces. Make sure to thoroughly spray and wipe down the surfaces with bleach to prevent the growth of mold spores before moving on with the repairs.

10. Hire A Water Damage Restoration Service

Once your home is dry and clean, it’s time to get in touch with a water damage restoration company to help put your house back into shape.

A professional will carefully inspect the overall condition of your home and determine the extent of the damage. Generally, a provider should carry out repair or replacement service for the materials soaked by the flood. As part of their service, they call the insurance company and report the condition of your home.

Generally, most services include wall, floor, and door repair or replacements, especially if they sustain significant damage. The length of the restoration will vary depending on the extent of the damage. In most cases, the flooring can be a lengthy process. After the major repairs in your home, you can also consider a few touch-ups, such as a fresh paint job or restoring the electrical and plumbing systems.

An advantage of hiring a water damage restoration service is getting your home in good condition.

Conclusion

When flooding unexpectedly occurs in your home, it can be a stressful ordeal. It is a severe problem many homeowners face at some point, especially those living in flood-prone areas. Floodwater can bring about significant water damage to your property, and if you fail to deal with it right away and properly, it can lead to expensive repairs. If you want to effectively restore your home to its former self, these tips will come in handy in minimizing the damage. Make sure to call a water damage restoration professional to handle the rest.

Thank you for reading!