When water seeps into your home or business, the results can be devastating. Not only does water damage destroy walls, carpeting, and furniture; it can also cause mold infestation that will lead to health problems for you and your family members. The good news is that there are some steps you can take to minimize the effects of water damage and save yourself from costly repairs! We will explore 10 steps for restoring your property after a flood or other disaster has occurred.
1. Be careful when investigating the amount of damage
The danger of entering a water-damaged area or property is not to be taken lightly. The potential for harm could range from hazardous debris, animals, and other dangers lurking in the flood zone. If you’re unsure whether it’s safe to enter an unsafe space, contact your local authorities before moving forward with inspection of the damaged area.
2. Make sure to close off all water sources and shut down all electricity sources
The first thing is to turn off the water supply to the damaged area. The next thing to do is shut off the power source for all electrical items in the house if it can be done safely. The longer they stay on, the more current they use up or create that can lead to serious problems like starting fires from overheating outlets or sparking circuits that are wet with electricity inside your walls.
3. Check your property’s structure
Water damage is a dangerous thing for your home, especially if you experience flooding. Take note of the foundation and load-bearing walls as well because water can cause them to crumble or fall apart even after it’s dried up. The basement will also suffer from this type of damage when there’s excessive moisture in surrounding areas that cannot dry out due to being flooded with water on a daily basis like many regions have been recently experiencing!
4. Wear protective clothing
Make sure that you take all the necessary precautions when cleaning up water damage. Make sure to wear gloves, goggles, and a mask so as not to expose yourself or your equipment to dangerous pathogens or other chemicals in standing water.
5. Document the damage
While you make your way into the damaged area, take time to document the damage with photos and videos. This will provide necessary evidence of any damage if you decide to file a claim or contact an insurance company for assistance. It also helps track all potential damage in different areas so it can be properly assessed at a later date by water damage restoration experts.
6.If there is anything that hasn’t been damaged by water, remove it to prevent it from possible damage
When the water floods your property, it is important to remove any personal items and belongings that were not harmed by the flood. Take these items to an area where they will remain safe and dry until help arrives or it is deemed safe for them to be returned to the property.
7.Remove the standing water
The longer standing water is present in a property, the more damage it will cause. Because of this, you need to remove any lingering moisture as soon as possible because that can lead to mold growth and allergies or asthma issues for those who are sensitive. If there’s anywhere between a few inches up to six-seven feet worth of flooding on your flooring then bucket use should suffice; otherwise grab an expert wet/dry vacuum along with dry pumps so they can suck all fluids from the area while pumping out air at regular intervals.
8.Ventilate and try to dry out as much as possible the damaged area
To keep the moisture from returning, you can open up any windows and doors to allow a breeze through. If it is safe to use electricity, set up dehumidifiers or electric fans that will suck out all excess humidity in your home.
9.Disinfect the area
You should disinfect with a waterless hydrogen peroxide solution. Simply spray the area, let it sit for 45 seconds, and then wipe it off. It has been proved an excellent irritation-free powerful disinfectant, unlike chlorine bleach which is both annoying to use and irritating to your skin and lungs if inhaled or splashed in your eyes. And because hydrogen peroxide is not corrosive like chlorine bleach you don’t have to worry about damaging surrounding surfaces where bleach could permanently discolor things as well as damage carpeting in place.
10.Get help from the professionals
Sometimes water damage is too much to handle alone. Whether you don’t have the physical ability, or it’s just an overwhelming amount of work for one person – trust a professional! Water extraction isn’t enough when dealing with large amounts of moisture; contact professionals who can help your home return back to its pre-water damaged state and ensure that any bacteria lurking in the aftermath has been eliminated as well.