When your property is damaged by a flood, burst pipe, or leaky roof, you need an expert in water damage remediation. The professionals at RestorationMasterFinder.com will repair the damage and restore your space. The first thing you should do is call a professional water damage cleanup and restoration team. There are a few things you should do to minimize the damage to the structure and your belongings before the team arrives:

Assess Safety

Do not enter the damaged area without conducting a safety assessment. Depending on the extent of the damage, it may not be safe for you to enter the building.

• Water damage can weaken the structural integrity of the building. If the ceilings are sagging, do not enter the building.
• Be sure the electricity in the building has been shut off. Submerged electrical appliances and electronics can cause serious electrical shock.
• If the area has been under water for more than 24 hours, wear a surgical mask to avoid inhaling mold spores, or avoid the area until the professionals arrive.

Keep in mind that the floor will be slippery and objects may have shifted during the flooding. Slip and fall accidents are one of the most common causes of injury in water damage cleanup and restoration projects.

Remove Standing Water

If it is safe for you to do so, use a wet-dry vacuum to remove standing water, or use towels to soak up smaller pools of water on furniture, counters, and other surfaces. If the area is flooded with more than a foot or two of water, wait for a professional water damage cleanup and restoration team to arrive. Removing large amounts of water too quickly will damage the building’s foundation.

Move Furniture, Rugs, and Smaller Items

Remove area rugs from the room and spread them outside to dry. Place aluminum foil or wood blocks under furniture legs to prevent carpet stains. When wood furniture is exposed to excessive moisture, the stain can transfer to the carpet leaving permanent marks. Metal table or chair legs can leave rust stains. Remove smaller items such as books, toys, chairs, and other miscellaneous objects from the area.

Not sure if you need to hire a professional water damage restoration company? Consider these tips before you decide to take on a water damage cleanup project yourself.

About Vince Sandri

Vince Sandri is a content writer and blogger with more than 12 years of experience. His expertise is in creating content related to disaster restoration, including information about preventing and reacting to natural disasters like flooding, water damage, fire and smoke damage, mold growth, storm damage and more.
Vince has been the main contributor to RestorationMasterFinder.com since 2014. Over that time, he has written numerous service pages and blogs for disaster restoration providers featured on RestorationMasterFinder.com. Vince has done extensive research and covered a wide range of topics relating to disaster restoration to help homeowners, business owners, and property managers better protect their property. He understands the problems that disasters like flooding, fire, smoke, and mold can cause as well as the best ways to respond to these issues to limit the damage.
Vince completed his Bachelor of Arts degree at Aurora University and his master’s degree at DePaul University. He has been writing SEO website pages, blogs, and press releases since 2012. Vince is also a musician and can be seen playing in the Chicago, IL area.