How to React to Water Damage in Your Home
Water damage in a home is much more common than you think. In fact, almost every homeowner has dealt with water damage in their home at some point because it can be caused by many internal sources as well as excessive rain and natural floods. Approximately 98 percent of basements will deal with water damage to some extent and 14,000 people are faced with a water damage emergency every day in the U.S. Excess water has the potential to cause devastating damage in a home because it weakens absorbent building materials like wood, flooring, and drywall and it can also cause mold growth to appear.
Significant water damage in your home can leave you feeling helpless as the damage is sometimes overwhelming. Make sure you call a water damage restoration professional immediately and take the following actions to recover from the flood damage.
What to Do After Flooding
- Find the Source: You must locate and stop the source of the excess water right away to avoid further damage. The water damage restoration process cannot be done properly unless the source of the water has been stopped.
- Protect your Belongings: Indoor flooding can affect your furnishings and personal items in the home. Put all valuable items in a safe place where they can stay dry until the restoration is done. If many of your personal items have been damaged, restoration professionals can restore them with content cleaning and pack-out services. Make a note of all your damaged belongings to submit for content restoration.
- Shut Off Power: Water and electricity is a very dangerous mix. If the flooding in your home is extensive, turn off the power. The water damage repair professionals will handle the power issue as part of the restoration.
What Not to Do After Flooding
- Do not dispose of the source of the water damage. If a broken part caused the water damage, keep the part to show it to your insurance company.
- Do not ever ignore water damage and expect it to dry. Water damage will become a more serious problem the longer it is ignored so contact a professional immediately.
Around 37 percent of homeowners in the U.S. say they have dealt with water damage in their homes. The high probability of water damage makes it likely that you will deal with it in your home at some point, so make sure you follow these tips and call a water damage cleanup professional. Reacting quickly with these actions can save you plenty of time and money on the restoration process.