Water damage in a home is a nuisance that causes emotional distress and financial losses. There are numerous causes of household flooding, including appliance malfunction, sewer back-up, burst pipes, compromised sum-pump, and heavy rains. Water damage can cause stress, and you may be confused about whether to start by cleaning up space or calling your insurance for repair and restoration.
Stay Safe
Before doing anything, ensure you and your family are safe. There are various things you can do to make your home safe. Start by turning off the power. It is common knowledge that water and electricity don’t go hand in hand. If the house is flooded, call a qualified technician to turn off the power.
Besides, remember to protect your valuables. Remove wet rugs on the floors and raise wood furniture some inches from the floor to prevent damage.
If the flooding is severe enough, prioritize leaving your home until it is restored.
Identify The Source Of The Damage
As said earlier, there are many sources of water damage. Floods could be caused by heavy rains, leaky pipes, appliance malfunction, construction-related defects, and excessive humidity, among other causes. Even a small leak can cause significant damage. Therefore, if you notice a small leak in your house, it is essential to take immediate action to prevent further damage.
A broken or corroded pipe can expose your prestigious valuables to irreparable damage, and you could also be exposed to the risk of environmental hazards like molds.
As soon as you find out the issues causing water damage in your home, take photos to monitor the damage. If you have photos of the affected part of the house before the water damage, keep them in a good place.
If you can’t find the source of the leak, liaise with a professional to evaluate the situation. It is essential to take action as soon as the leak source is discovered to prevent further damage and preserve your insurance coverage rights.
Notify Your Homeowners Association
After identifying the source of water damage, contact the body that is responsible for restoring your property. In some areas, condos and homeowner’s associations offer water damage insurance or compensate for damages caused by pre-existing plumbing issues and ruptured pipes.
It is prudent to preserve a written record of correspondence with your association. That way, it will be easier to file a claim in case they fail to compensate for the damages.
Start the Cleanup Process
Water damage due to heavy rains takes time to clean up. The process may be too laborious for one family. Therefore, it is prudent to contact a restoration service to get rid of all the damage.
If you decide to do the cleanup yourself, wear protective clothing. Take whatever is salvageable and throw away things that are too damaged or unsafe for use.
After removing water in your home, you will have to set aside damp belonging to prevent the growth of molds and mildews. After thoroughly drying the house, use an air conditioning system to remove humidity. Take your time when drying your home. It may take four days to dry a home entirely and remove the risk of mildew and mold.
Restore Your Home
If the water damage was caused by flooding water, it might take some time to restore the home. You need to replace broken possessions and repair damaged walls and flooring material. Get a go-ahead from your restoration or insurance company to move back to your clean, dry, and mildew free.
