2 Water Damage Restoration Tips That Every Homeowner Should Know
Burst sewer lines, leaky pipes, and natural disasters can leave your house severely water damaged. To avoid further destruction, you need to identify the cause and initiate water restoration immediately. While some significant repairs require professional help, there are specific DIY steps you can try to limit the severity of the damages:
Assess the Situation
You need to assess the situation first to determine if you can handle it yourself or hire a water damage restoration expert. For this step, there are three main factors to consider:
- Water Volume: If there is a moderate or small amount of water in your home, you might be able to manage the situation on your own. However, you can only fix the damage if you have the right tools. With severe flooding, there is very little you can do without professional help.
- Source of the Damage: Before you try DIY water restoration, you need to identify where the water is coming from. If the water is clean, it could be caused by leaky pipes or damaged roofing. This water is relatively safe, and you can handle it yourself. However, if the water is black or gray, it could be contaminated. You need help from a water damage restoration expert to clean off the wastewater.
- Damage Level: You also need to assess the magnitude of the damages before any DIY restoration work begins. You should call an expert if your home requires complex repairs that pose some risk to you and your family.
Start the Restoration Process
Now that you understand the situation, you can begin the restoration process. Remember that wet materials in your home will encourage mold growth –– often within a very short time. You need to act fast before any more damage occurs.
Typically, water damage restoration has five vital steps:
- Disconnect all electrical appliances: You need to unplug all electrical appliances to prevent explosions and electrical shocks.
- Look around for signs of mold: If the water damage lasts for a few days, you need to inspect your house for signs of mold. If left unremoved, mold can spread quickly and cause severe health effects. If you notice a severe infestation, you should call a mold remediation specialist.
- Dry off spilled water: You also need to dry out all the affected areas to eliminate excess moisture before more damage occurs. You can use a high-capacity dehumidifier to dry out the wood, carpet, and other surrounding materials for this step.
- Remove Damaged Materials: If some porous materials in your home (like the carpet or wall insulation) are water-logged, you should dispose of them to prevent mold and mildew growth.
- Disinfect Your Home: If there are floods or leaking sewage, you need to sanitize your home immediately to prevent severe health problems.
If there is severe flooding from a natural disaster, your home may suffer significant water damage that can be hard to control with DIY fixes. In such a case, you need to leave repairs to an expert. Contact a local water damage restoration service to learn more.