What To Do During A Water Damage Emergency

While it may not seem like something that homeowners have to deal with very often, water damage is extremely common. Additionally, this type of damage is one the of the most common and more serious emergencies you can have on your property. It doesn’t matter if it’s a storm, a floor, a weakened roof, busted pipes, sewage backup, overflowing appliances or something else, both the value and the safety of your property are at risk. In order to handle the situation in the best possible way, you need to do it quickly so that you can prevent further damage from occurring. Continue reading below to learn more about how you can do this during such a stressful situation.

Preparing For Water-Related Disasters

The number one thing you need to remember when you are handling any emergency situation on your property is that having a clear plan that you can implement quickly and efficiently is imperative. The truth is, the longer you wait, the worse the damage is going to be. So don’t hesitate. We know it is overwhelming and upsetting to have to handle something like this, but if you don’t there might not be anything left to recover at all once the disaster has run its course.

With that said, keep these five steps in the back on your mind in the case that you will have to address a water-related disaster. They will allow for you to get your property and your life back to the way they were.

Protect Your Health And Your Possessions

Water damage, no matter how it occurs can be potentially harmful to both your health and your possessions. Due to the contaminated water, flood dangers, and mold growth, your safety should be the first of your concerns. In order to protect yourself, be sure that you take the following actions:

SHUT OFF THE ELECTRICITY IN YOUR HOME BY SWITCHING OFF THE CIRCUIT BREAKERS AND UNPLUGGING ANY DEVICES THAT MAY BE PLUGGED INTO SOCKETS AT THE TIME.
IF YOUR HOME IS IN DANGER OF FLOODING, MAKE SURE THAT YOU EVACUATE THE FLOODED AREA UNTIL THE AUTHORITIES HAVE DEEMED THE AREA SAFE ENOUGH TO OCCUPY AGAIN.
WHEN YOU RETURN TO THE AREA AFTER WATER DAMAGE HAS OCCURRED, BE SURE THAT YOU WEAR RUBBER GLOVES, WATERPROOF BOOTS, AND ADDITIONAL PROTECTIVE CLOTHING.
BE SURE TO RESCUE THE MOST VALUABLE ITEMS SUCH AS DOCUMENTS AND/OR ELECTRONICS.

Stop The Damage

You need to be able to identify the source of the water problem as soon as possible so that you can prevent the damage from getting worse. Obviously, in the case of a natural flood, you won’t be able to do much other than leave the premises. However, if there is another reason for the flooding and you are not sure what it is, take the following steps:

THE FIRST THING YOU SHOULD CHECK FOR IS A BURST PIPE OR A LEAKING WATER HEATER TANK. BE SURE TO USE THE SHUT-OFF VALVES IMMEDIATELY IF YOU SEE THAT ONE OF THESE THINGS IS CAUSING THE FLOODING.
IF THE FLOOD IS PREDICTED, BE SURE TO TAKE PREVENTATIVE MEASURES SUCH AS SANDBAGGING AND DITCHING.
IF YOUR CEILING IS LEAKING, BRING IN AN EXPERT TO FIND WHERE THE WATER IS COMING FROM.
LOOK (AND SMELL) FOR SIGNS OF MOLD. IF THERE IS DISCOLORATION ON THE CEILINGS AND BASEBOARD OR THERE ARE UNEXPLAINABLE FOUL ODORS IN YOUR HOME, YOU LIKELY HAVE A LEAK SOMEWHERE THAT IS CAUSING MOLD TO GROW.

Contact Your Insurance Company

When you are experiencing a flood, your insurance company is going to be one of your main points of contact, and hopefully your largest help in the pandemonium of your emergency. You are most likely to make an effective claim if you follow these tips:

CALL YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY AS SOON AS YOU POSSIBLY CAN AFTER THE DAMAGE HAS OCCURRED SO THAT YOU CAN LEARN WHAT STEPS THE INSURANCE COMPANY NEEDS FOR YOU TO TAKE TO MOVE FORWARD.
HAVE A CLAIMS ADJUSTER COME TO THE SITE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE SO THAT THE DAMAGE CAN BE DOCUMENTED AND YOU CAN BE GIVEN AN ESTIMATE FOR THE TOTAL COST OF REPAIRS.
TAKE PLENTY OF PHOTOS OF THE AREAS THAT WERE DAMAGED AND ANY OF YOUR VALUABLES THAT WERE AFFECTED BY THE WATER DAMAGE.
KEEP DETAILED RECORDS AND RECEIPTS.

Dry Your Things Out

In order to eliminate the growth of mildew and mold, you need to start drying out your property within 24 hours and complete the entire process in three to four days. In order to do this, you will need to:

LIFT ALL WET FURNITURE AND REMOVE FROM FLOODED AREAS IF YOU CAN.
PLACE ALUMINUM FOIL BETWEEN FURNITURE LEGS AND WET CARPET IN ORDER TO PREVENT CARPET STAINS FROM FORMING.
REMOVE AND HANG ANY AREA RUGS SO THAT THEY CAN DRY.
USE AS MANY FANS AND DEHUMIDIFIERS AS POSSIBLE TO HELP DRY OUT ANY WET AREAS.
TURN ON YOUR AIR CONDITIONING SO THAT HUMIDITY CAN BE REMOVED FROM THE SPACE.
CONSIDERING RENTING PROFESSIONAL GRADE EQUIPMENT OR HIRING A RESTORATION COMPANY.

Clean And Restore

Taking care of an area that has been compromised by water damage can require a lot of effort. This is why it is important to enlist the help of professionals to help you get the job done. At All Clear Restoration, our professional team can handle your water damage issues in an effective way that will help your home to get back to normal in a short amount of time. However, before we show up to help you with the cleaning, we would suggest you determine what is salvageable and get rid of anything that is no longer safe to use or damaged.

You may also want to keep in mind that once we arrive, drywall, insulation, flooring, carpeting and baseboards may need to be removed in order to prevent the growth of mold and mildew. On the other hand, it’s important that you remember that taking care of this problem now is going to be much better than taking care of it a few months from now when your entire home wreaks of mold and is no longer safe for you to occupy.

Contact All Clear Restoration Today

If your home has been exposed to water damage and you just aren’t really sure where to begin, we can help you. All Clear Restoration in Parson has the tools and the expert team to help you restore your home in no time at all. Contact us today to learn more about our services and how we can help you despite your circumstances. We are looking forward to hearing from you!