When it comes to owning a home or business, there’s one risk that can be difficult to prepare for: water damage. Whether it’s flooding, leaking or burst pipes, backed up sewage lines, or malfunctioning appliances, there are many things that can cause serious devastation to your home or business. The good news is that even when there is water damage, all hope is not lost. It is possible to minimize the damage and save your valuables with restoration services. Here are some tips to make your water damage restoration go smoothly, get everything back in working order, and save time and money.
Why You Need Water Damage Restoration Services
One of the first things to do if there your home or business has been affected is to call a professional restoration service. Restoration Logistics, a Denver-based water damage restoration service, says that professionals are crucial to safe and effective reparation. Issues such as backed up sewer lines can cause a domino effect of other problems, including contaminating the flooded area. Another issue is if there is flooding and the liquid level reaches or goes above the electrical outlets, the water can become electrified. Rather than put yourself in harm’s way, it’s better to avoid these risks and call in the professionals to take care of the water damage repair.
What to Do and What NOT to Do for Water Damage Repair
While you may not have been able to prevent or prepare for the worst, there is still a way to save time and money. There are some actions you can take to make the water damage repair process go quickly and efficiently. These actions can save time for the professionals, which can save you the cost of hours billed for services. Most importantly, you can ensure your safety and save your valuables.
What to do in the event of water damage:
- If you see the source of the flooding or leakage and can get to it, turn it off immediately.
- Call a professional service company.
- Remove all furniture and valuables.
- Unplug and remove all electronics from the affected area.
- Wash as much of the salvaged items as you can.
- Hang dry the large items (such as rugs, curtains) until they can be professionally cleaned.
- Decontaminate as much as possible, including cleaning the floors, walls, and any other affected areas.
For your safety and health, there are also things you should not do:
- If there is standing water in a flooded area that goes above the electrical outlets, do not go into the room.
- Do not use electronics in a wet area. Even if the electronics are not on the ground, if the ground you are standing on is wet, you should not use those appliances.
- Don’t leave items on wet flooring because it can damage the flooring itself.
- If the ceiling in an area is wet or sagging, do not occupy the rooms.
- Do not use a household vacuum to remove water.
Most of the time, it’s difficult to prepare for flooding and plumbing issues. However, in cases of remodeling, there are steps you can take to prevent plumbing incidents from home renovation from happening in the future.
Finding Restoration Companies
When searching for restoration companies, you’ll want to make sure that the company you choose offers the full repairing services. Water damage restoration is not just about removing water. It includes assessing the cause of the problem, making an action plan to deal with the problem, providing proper safety protocols to keep you out of harm’s way, and decontaminating the entire area. Professional, full-service restoration companies will be able to help you from the moment the problem starts through the cleanup and repair that is involved afterwards.
By being mindful of these tips, you can make sure of your own safety and the protection and salvaging of your valuables. In addition, these tips can help you to make the repair procedures go smoothly, saving you time and money.
