Water damage cleanup. Not a pretty situation. Regardless of how it happens, it's a real mess and something that will take a lot of time and effort to fix. Getting back to normal is your priority. But, understand there is no cutting corners. When it comes to water damage cleanup, it must be done right.
What NOT to Do in a Water Damage Cleanup Situation
One of the biggest challenges with water damage cleanup is not to make the situation worse. How could it get any worse? Well, if you don't follow procedure. We're talking about your homeowners insurance coverage. It probably states that it's your responsibility to prevent any more damage.
Water damage can be deceptive. Water penetrates into structural cavities creating trapped pockets of saturation. The detection of water in these areas can often only be discovered with sophisticated moisture detection meters. Undetected moisture will continue to cause damage. This damage, at a minimum, will cause odors. Greater damage will surface when materials delaminate, shrink, split and further deteriorate to where costly repairs are required. --Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification
What this means is that you have a duty to prevent any other damage from occurring. So, be sure to take those preventative measures or your entire claim could well be in jeopardy. Also, you'll probably want to salvage as much as possible. While that's understandable, it's likely unrealistic. So, let's get on to how to go about water damage cleanup.
Top Zephyrhills Water Damage Cleanup Tips
The first thing you need to do is identify the source. Most of the time, it's very obvious. A burst pipe, a strong storm, or other obvious cause. Once you know the cause, put a stop to it, if possible. Then, do the following water damage cleanup steps:
- Document the damage. Here's where your phone will come in quite handy. Take a lot of pictures, from different angles and take detailed notes. You'll need to do this right away so nothing is missed. Send out copies of the pictures and notes to ensure you have them when needed later.
- Air the space out immediately. Any way you can get air circulating in the space is necessary right away. Open windows, open doors, turn on fans. Whatever you can do to improve the air flow, do it now.
- Pump out the water and dehumidify. If there is standing water, use a shop vacuum to get it out. As soon as you remove the standing water, bring in a dehumidifier to lower the moisture level.
- Remove anything that’s soaked through. Whatever's sodden, it's got to go. This includes floor covering, like carpet and hardwood, drywall, furniture, and more. Leave nothing damp inside.
If you need help with water damage cleanup, go ahead and phone 800-433-1094 or visit AAA Rousse Services.