8 Water Damage Cleanup Tips

Not only can water damage ruin your valuables and furniture, but they can also damage the house – and become extremely costly. If you can act fast, you can minimize the damage and save some of your things.

The achievement of your restoration actually depends upon the time where the water of the flood stayed unadorned. It’s important to confirm the furniture which may be saved and at times even the rugs, but all of the electronic equipment affected by the water is likely sent to the garbage.

Don’t lightly deal with the water damage.
Even if your basement has just an inch of water, or even if it’s only moist, it is the perfect terrain for mold. Mold growth destroys walls, furniture, rugs, floor coverings, etc., but can also lead to poor air quality which causes respiratory problems, such as asthma or other severe illnesses.

Preventing mold growth is the key to maintaining your house air clean and healthy.  In addition to calling your insurance company, here are a few strategies for handling your flooded basement and minimizing water damage. Before doing anything, call your insurance provider and tell them everything you need to do.

Here are some steps to follow if you have suffered water damage to your house:

Disconnect the power

Disconnect all digital devices and immediately eliminate all appliances, furniture and things which you can move. The faster you remove items from the water, the more likely you are to save them. Eliminate all rugs (tapestries and rugs) and underlay mats. You may have the ability to save your carpeting if you’ve got them cleaned and disinfected.

Eliminate the water

There are lots of ways to eliminate water. Use old towels, buckets and brooms to consume as much water as you can. So long as the sewers in your area aren’t blocked, you can pour the water down the drain, otherwise, pour it on your yard or other permeable surface. A wet/dry vacuum is also used. Getting rid of all of the water and drying the region is the most important thing you can do to prevent mold growth.

Move furniture, rugs, and small objects

Remove the furniture from the affected area as soon as possible. Take area rugs from the area and bring them outside to dry.  A tip we found at Emergency Home Solutions is to place a wood block under furniture legs to prevent carpet stains. Exposed wood furniture to moisture transfers the wood stain to carpet leaving permanent marks. Metal furniture legs can leave rust stains. Remove smaller objects such as books, toys, tables, and other miscellaneous items from the area.

Dry the affected area

Once you’ve mopped up all of the water, use fans and a dehumidifier to help dry the region. If it doesn’t rain, then leave the windows open to permit air flow and faster drying. You want the place to dry as quickly as possible. For those who have a finished basement and the drywall was affected, you will most likely need to decrease the areas which were affected by the water since the drywall will crumble and the paper backing is going to be a fantastic source of food for mold. If you’ve skirting boards, treat first, and if they’re made from compressed wood, then they will probably not be recoverable. If they were wooden, you may have the ability to save it.

Disinfect

After drying the region, such as wooden beams, insulation, drywall, etc., use a great disinfectant to eliminate any bacteria which might have come through the sewers, bathrooms, etc..

Stop the growth of mold

After disinfecting and allow the area dry thoroughly, use the disinfectant along the affected area following the directions. As soon as you apply a thin layer, let it dry immediately. Once dry, it forms a thin protective coating on any mold that could grow and it eliminates the spore roots. No matter where it’s sprayed, it is going to prevent any mold from growing, thus offering continued strength. If you’re spraying an entire room, you might wish to consider leasing a fogger in a hardware store such as Menards. It’s easy to use and extremely fast.

Discard damaged things responsibly. Bring what you can into a recycling center and get rid of garbage properly.

** Notice that these tips are just simple recommendations to follow in the event of an emergency. Keep in mind, it is suggested to use a professional service recommended by your insurance. You can contact a Water Damage Pro specialist for help 24 hours a day at (612) 400-8523

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Water Damage Restoration of your personal belongings

Damage caused by water is particularly expensive for business owners who probably have more documents, paper and media inside their property.

Likewise, they can be just as damaging to your photographs, pictures, books, and other personal belongings. The good news is that your paper-based documents do not have to be discarded when they are wet, because Water Damage Pro’s preferred partner network can recover and restore most of them, if we take care of them in time.

The preferred method of recovery is to freeze anything that is damaged by water. Freezing helps to stabilize objects so that they do not suffer further deterioration. The frozen items are then placed in a state-of-the-art cold drying chamber. The water is extracted under vacuum, so as to pass directly from the solid state to the gaseous state without going through the liquid state at the origin of the deterioration and mildew.

It’s an incredibly effective technique. A qualified water damage restoration can help you retrieve more items than you think. But the secret is that we have to call quickly, during the first 24 hours if possible, so that we can begin the restoration before it creates secondary problems. We have a network of professionals to assist us with any situation from restoration to plumbing even HVAC if needed. See one of our partner’s website to see for yourself the quality of our partner network.

Furnishings, electrical appliances and other goods rarely suffer more damage than paper documents. In any case, an innovative freeze-drying technique gives us the time to choose the right solution to recover and restore them.

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Common Water Damage Restoration Questions

What causes water damage?

All homeowners should be aware of the likely causes of water damages in their homes. Once you know the possible causes, you will be better placed to avoid them whichever way you can. Floods from rainwater and leaking pipes are the biggest culprits here. You may not be aware of the potential for water leaks from an air conditioner, dishwasher, washing machine and clogged drains and how they can also cause extensive water damage in your home too.

Faulty household appliances can also mess with your home and cause water damage to occur. Check all pipes regularly. Don’t forget to examine the plumbing system too. The parts of the home more susceptible to collecting water also need proper inspection to ensure they are free of water damage. Issues affecting the HVACs may also cause water damages. Natural disasters commonly cause this problem too.

“The possible causes need regular inspecting and maintenance to deny them the opportunity to damage your property. Invite an expert contractor or technician to your home to examine everything that’s capable of causing these damages. Do not stop at inspection though. Instead, carry out repairs and replace the parts that the technician can’t repair”, says Guillaume Dubois, President of Indigo Construction.

• Can I perform DIY water damage restoration?

Floods kill people every year wherever they occur. They also cause extensive water damages. For the most part, you would need to hire an expert in water damage restoration to clean your home up and do whatever is necessary to restore your home or office and make it livable once more. However, DIY water restoration is also possible, but only if you do it right. Otherwise, you may cause more damage.

Once you know the basics of water damage restoration, then you can do the work yourself. The basics include stopping the water, prioritizing safety, and choosing the right equipment. More importantly, your knowledge determines how much work you can do without professional input. Strive to remove most of the water logged materials too. Dry the rooms where most of the damage occurred.

“Get yourself ready for the cleanup. Know what to prioritize. For example, flush the toilet, check if the running water is drinkable, wear protecting clothing, remove and discard all wall coverings. Remove as much stuff as you can. Do all the work safely without jeopardizing your life. Wear thick rubber gloves, tall boots, and a face mask where possible. Start with the standing water. Evaluate the structural damage too.

Don’t forget to disinfect everything”, says Josh Warren, owner of Warren Restoration.

• Should I hire an expert in water damage restoration?

First, an expert technician in water damage restoration helps to solve this problem quickly. Experts are renowned for fast turnaround times. They reduce the time everything needs to dry and be ready for use. They eliminate health concerns associated with the restoration. Yes, water damage is hazardous. The damage causes mold and mildew to grow. Health hazards vary depending on the type of water damage.

Experts in water restoration are great assets in your insurance claims. They help the victims of water damage to document their losses properly. Properly documented losses are great for any claim the victims intend to file with their insurers. The insurers also require proof of damages. Once again, the experts can help the victims provide the proof that makes insurers more likely to approve the claims.

“Clean water damage is not as hazardous as dirty and black water damage. Therefore, an expert should handle any restoration involving damages caused by dirty or black water. Restoration can also be a costly affair. An expert knows how to help you cut down some of these costs. What is more, the expert is great at helping customers reduce their total losses. It also reduces the burden on you too”, says Clifford Stratton, owner of Regent Restoration.

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Water Damage Restoration Process

The water damage restoration process

Water is an important part of our ecosystem. It is also something that all of us need in order to survive. When it enters the home in a variety of ways, however, it can lead to extreme property damage, mold and illness for anyone living in the home. That is why it is so vitally important to contact a water damage restoration company as soon as possible. In fact, once the water becomes evident in the home, the clock starts ticking. The longer the problem is allowed to continue, the more issues are going to result.

The water damage restoration process actually involves a number of different steps. The first step, however, is to have a professional inspection done. They will look into the damage that has been caused by the water and determines what must take place in order to get your home back into livable condition again. Keep in mind that not all of the damage to the home is going to be visible and in some cases, the majority of the damage takes place behind the walls, under the floor and above the ceiling. Unless all of the issues are corrected, it is going to continue to be a problem.

The second step of the process is the removal of any water that still exists in the home. This may require the use of specialty vacuums and/or pumps. Using a professional service allows the process to take place quickly. The timing is important because bacteria and mold begin growing almost immediately. Once the water has been removed, the drying process and dehumidification starts. This will remove any additional moisture that still remains. In some cases, it could take weeks for the drying process to complete.

All of the belongings inside of the home need to be sanitized and cleaned properly. This will help to clear up any bacterial or mold growth and prevent it from continuing. The cleaning process may involve anything from clothing and carpeting to the furniture. Air scrubbers may also be used.

The final, and largest step in the process is the restoration. It may be necessary to replace items within the home, including the insulation and drywall. It may be simple in some cases but in other cases, additional issues may be uncovered, such as asbestos or lead.

The water damage restoration process is rather involved. Hiring a professional service allows the issue to be resolved as quickly as possible and gets you back in your home.

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