Tackle water damage

Water damage occurs due to a number of reasons, but it is usually due to stagnating water as a result of hurricanes or floods or due to water stagnation due to manmade events such as breakage of pipe or tanks. In this article we will look at ways water damage can be tackled. Check out here to know more about tackle water damage - AWDR

Act fast and make sure that electricity and gas lines are switched off. Wear clothing that is specifically designed for such cases to protect yourself from the stagnated water. Stagnant water is an ecosystem of bacterial and microbial growth. Also be wary of the fact that water that has flowed into the house due to natural causes might contain life-forms that are a danger to you. Carry a torch or some form of light source to give you a sense of depth when walking through the water.

Understand that water stagnation and water damage leads to the growth of mold. The biggest hurdle is the fact that mold growth cannot be identified easily because mold can grow in a number of places. Call in professional help to eradicate mold from the house.

Make sure to check the structural integrity of the house or building that has been affected by water damage. Inspect the foundation and all wall columns that bear weight. If your building has a basement, inspect the basement from top to bottom to ensure that no structural damage has occurred. Prolonged exposure of water can greatly affect the integrity of the building.

When dealing with water damage, it is a safe bet to be over-prepared than to be under-prepared. Wear protective clothing that is waterproof to ensure that you are not affected by chemical effluents in the water or by pathogens. Once water damage has been cleared, make sure not to touch any object that was contaminated without being disinfected first.

Insurance agencies often work with the loophole where you have no photos or videos to prove that water damage has occurred except for your own word or the word of your restoration professional. So take photos and videos of water damage thoroughly to reclaim the losses from your insurance agency.

Once documentation is dealt with; your priority should be to dry out the house. The biggest mistake that you can commit is prolong the time taken to dry your house. If the room or rooms that are affected by water damage has a door leading to the outside, then push the water out. But if there is no such access available then utilise the help of a vacuum or pump to dry the house. The other key aspect of drying is to dry the air, use the help of an air scrubber to remove any moisture that may be present in the air within the building to remove the possibility of microbial growth or mold.

Shelves and attics are prime places where water can coagulate and cause a ton of damage. So to combat the effects of either, start your repair work there. Another important place to look out for is the insulation as water can be retained there for a number of weeks.

Ventilating the area is very important because it removes the excess moisture from the building. Use appliances such as fans and dryers as long as there is no electrical damage to the building to ventilate the house.

Not everything that seems clean is clean, so disinfect all areas and objects that were present in the location of water stagnation to ensure that they are not contaminated by chemicals, microbes or bacteria.

Water damaged houses are not a DIY project opportunity. In most cases, people who refrain from calling in experts, face the consequences in the long run. A professional will provide you with an all-inclusive care and will ensure that water restoration and damage repair is perfectly done.