We don’t like to think it will ever happen to us, but it’s possible you could one day find your home damaged by water. Whether your property floods due to a natural disaster or a pipe bursts or leaks or some other occurrence happens, you never know when this situation might arise.
If you ever find yourself looking at a home with water in places there shouldn’t be, you need to know what steps to take next. Here are some of the essential strategies you can follow.
1. Switch Off the Power
The first action to take to ensure everyone’s safety is to switch off the power to your home or disconnect the power going to the room(s) with water in them. This job is urgent whenever the water has reached or gone above any electrical outlets or electrical appliances or will do so soon. The risk of electrocution when power and water mix is high.
Also, if you can do so safely, unplug all the electrical devices in or near water. The sooner you can do this the better, so long as you don’t need to risk your health.
2. Find the Source of the Water
While the source of the water in your home may be evident if your street flooded or you’ve seen liquid rushing from a burst pipe, sometimes water damage stems from a less-than-obvious issue. For instance, a washing machine hose may have become detached, there could be a leak in your roof, or you might need to get an urgent dishwasher repair on an old machine because it needs a new door seal or a replacement water inlet valve.
Wherever possible, locate the problem causing the flooding straight away,so you can call in a plumber, electrician, tradesperson, or another contractor to attend to it. A slower leak will keep causing damage if you don’t get it fixed ASAP.
3. Remove Possessions
The next step is to remove all your possessions from the flooded spots. If your whole house or an entire level or section is suffering from water inundation, you may need to call in assistance from neighbors, family members, or friends to help you get your belongings out expediently. It’s essential to do this soon as the longer your items are exposed to water, the more damaged and irreparable they’ll become.
4. Get the Extra Water Out
Once you’ve cleared out your goods, get as much of the extra water out of your home as you can. Again, call on others to help you as needed. If the water level is reasonably low, you might be able to use a wet/dry vacuum to remove most of the moisture. Alternatively, bail out water using buckets, mops, towels, etc. Do note, though, that if your home contains floodwaters, sewerage, or other potentially bacteria-laden liquid, it’s vital to wear protective gear.
If the water level inside your property is high, use a sump pump to suck up the water efficiently. However, be careful where you plug this electrical appliance in and as you move it about, as you can’t have the cords or connections getting submerged in water. Many hardware stores hire sump pumps out per hour or day.
5. Dry and Clean Things Off
With the water gone, you can start drying off rooms and cleaning the belongings you’ve removed. Use fans and a dehumidifier, plus open doors and windows, to help get the air flowing. Doing this assists spaces to dry out sooner.
Also, if you can put your possessions out in the sun to dry, this is the best thing for them. Then, start going through things to see what can have cleaned and save and what you may have to say goodbye to. Recycle what you can and bin the rest of these goods. Keep in mind, though, that some specialists can work on books, furniture, clothes, and other items to repair them after water damage. It pays to get a quote before blindly tossing things out.
6. Disinfect
One of the biggest longer-term problems arising from water damage is that affected rooms often end up with nasty bacteria in them. Mold and mildew are more likely to start growing. To prevent your property from becoming a toxic space, use plenty of disinfectant on all parts of the rooms that got wet. You may need to use specialist mold products to combat this issue as the months go by, too. Also, you can also contact murfreesbor water damage restoration company for getting the proper solution to your problem.
Water damage in the home is something no one ever wants to deal with. It’s stressful, upsetting, costly, and time-consuming to handle. However, by taking the appropriate steps swiftly and thoroughly, you should hopefully limit the damage and move forward more quickly.
Article Submitted By Community Writer
