What To Do After Water Damage
Posted on February 28, 2018
Cleaning up after any type of water spill is never easy. So, when it comes to dealing with unwanted water in areas you never thought you would be cleaning up water is not fun. Water cannot only be hard to clean up but it can ruin your most valuable possessions including your home. If you are quick to act you may be able to save some of your te items from water damage.
No unwanted water should be taken lightly. Even if your basement has an inch of standing water in it or the floor is just damp, it is the perfect place for mold to start growing. Mold can not only damage your floors, but if it continues to grow it can damage your walls, furniture, and carpets. On top of mold ruining all of that it can lead to poor air quality making asthma worse and can cause severe illnesses. So, how do you stop the mold from growing and save your possessions? Here are the steps that you should follow when you experience water damage.
Call your Insurance Company
You should always do this first. Let your insurance company know what has happened. By doing this step first you are able to get an estimate more quickly and know how much will be covered.
Disconnect and Move Items
You should always disconnect you electric. Doing these before you move anything else will ensure that you or someone else does not end up getting electrocuted while moving other items. The next thing you should disconnect is all of your electronics. Moving these as quickly as possible will give them a better chance of still working. Finally, you should move any furniture or other movable furniture out of the water damaged area. Again, moving these items as quickly as possible will give them more of a chance of not having to be replaced.
Remove the Water
Once everything is removed from the water damaged area you will want to next remove the water. You can do this on your own by using towel and buckets to remove any standing water. If you feel confident enough you can use a wet/dry vacuum to get rid of the water. When using the vacuum, you should be careful when plugging it in. Make sure you plug it into an outlet that is far away from the water. The best solution when trying to remove water is to call in the professionals. They will have the knowledge and tools to get rid of the water safely and quickly.
Dry Out the Water Damage Area
After you have gotten all the water out you will want to dry the area out. This can be done with fans and dehumidifiers. If it is not raining outside you should open up the windows. Any drywall that was affected by the water should be cut away so it does not crumble. Also, any baseboards should be removed before drying out area. When it comes to drying out the water damaged area it is a good idea to hire the professionals. Professionals not only have the knowledge to ensure the best dry out, but they have the best equipment.
Disinfect Area
After everything has been dried out you will want to disinfect the area. You will want to make sure that you get all areas to ensure no mold will start to grow.
Throw Out or Keep Items
The last step is to go through all of your items that were affected by the water damage. You will want to determine whether you can save them or toss them out.
Don’t Do It Yourself!
If all of these steps seem a little overwhelming to you then hire the professionals. At All Brite Cleaning, we come up with the best plan to ensure the best results after water damage. Don’t deal with the hassle of cleaning up after water damage by yourself call us today at 1-863-382-0042.