Our grandparents tell us to prepare for all kinds of emergencies, one of which is flood. Whether it’s storms, floods, roof deterioration, HVAC leaks, pipe ruptures, appliance overflows or sewage blockages, water issues can be a thorny issue that can affect your property’s safety and value. It is essential to respond quickly to emergencies to prevent further property damage and implement effective solutions.
The reality is that a water disaster will only worsen the more you hesitate to do something about it. You quickly need flood damage restoration. Dealing with a property disaster can be overwhelming, frustrating, and unprepared. If not, it may be too late to take action. Planning ahead to prepare for emergencies will ensure that your property recovers quickly and painlessly after a flood event.
Keep these essential steps in mind when dealing immediately after water damage. Then you can get your property and life back to normal.
Simple Steps To Take After Finding Water Damage
Call the insurance company
Your home insurance depends on what insurance you have. An assessor will be dispatched from the insurance company to assess and appraise the damage and determine whether the damage will be compensated.
Document the value of every item you can think of and take as many photos as possible before, during and after cleaning. It is helpful if the evaluator can assess the damage.
Take safety measures
Before participating in a cleaning trial, you should take some safety precautions. The first thing you should do is ensure the lights in your home are turned off. Water and electricity do not mix. So make sure you have dealt with this potential danger before taking any further action. Evaluate the area when the power is off. Examine the walls and ceilings of your home to make sure everything is structurally sound. If the floorboards or ceiling are sagging, move away and wait for a professional. But if your property looks relatively safe, there are some initial steps you can take to minimize potential damage in your first cleaning step.
Protect people and property
If a flood damages your home, it is not safe to enter it until the power is shut off, which may require an electrician. Once access is secure, protect your property and valuables by removing them from the wet area. Also, remove carpet and other items from wet floors. Homeowners may want to document the value of their goods and take photographs of damaged properties for insurance purposes.
Please turn off the lights
But remember one thing while looking into flood damage restoration, don’t touch any electricity while having water around. If you need to enter or be in a wet area to turn it off, it’s best to leave it on until a professional arrives. B. Electrician. Under no circumstances should you enter a flood-damaged home until the power has been turned off. Wear protective gear – Wearing protective gear such as rubber boots, and gloves can help protect you from injuries and cuts where bacterial water can enter.
Protect valuables – If possible, lift wooden furniture off the wet carpet and place aluminium foil under your feet to prevent stains. Remove all wet floors and damp floor carpets.
Identify the Type of Water
- Clean Water: Clean water is unpolluted and comes from leaking pipes, water heaters and broken toilets (no sewage backup).
- Gray water: Gray water contains chemical or biological contaminants such as bacteria and mold, and is typically caused by equipment malfunctions such as:
- Black Water: Blackwater is the worst type, heavily contaminated with sewage from private septic tanks and municipal sewage systems. It poses serious health risks and requires professional cleaning.
Start Water Damage Repair
Water can quickly lead to mold growth, so start remediating water damage restoration as soon as possible. It may involve removing flooring, drywall, and insulation, so having a professional restoration service makes this process much easier to manage.
Start Drying Everything
After cleaning the property, the affected areas of the property should be dried and dehumidified with the help of sanitary services. They can assess the extent of water damage and advise on the best course of action to take on your property. They can also determine the best air circulation method for your materials.
While drying, remove furniture and dry it in another place. Weather permitting, natural sunlight is an excellent moisture absorber. Place a powerful blower on the drywall and ceiling as soon as possible. If you’re wondering how to dry your walls after water damage, our water remediation experts can help.
Timber framing, subfloors, and drywall become saturated with water during flooding, so it’s essential to dry them quickly to minimize the growth of bacteria and mold. Professionals usually use industrial blowers, which are much more powerful and exponentially speed up the evaporation process. We typically use one of these industrial air movers for every 10 foot wall space.
Start the recovery process
Flood damage can occur instantly, damaging structures and causing the loss of valuable personal belongings. Flood damage restoration services should be done as soon as possible by a professional water remediation company.
Bring in Professionals
Professional water remediation companies deal with the aftermath of water emergencies such as leaks and floods, provide cleaning services, inspect homes and property for additional damage, and ensure repairs are complete and safe.
When you connect with ONT Restoration, a restoration company in Toronto, you have a team of the best professionals for effective water damage restoration and restoration. They have experience in providing various recovery services with 24/7 support.
ONT Restoration helps you:
Removes harmful mold and toxins: As mentioned earlier, mold and flooding seriously threaten your property and employee safety.
Prevent the crisis from getting worse. Even after following all of the above steps after a flood, you may be missing something important. Forgotten mold patches and small puddles can lead to structural deterioration. A quick cleanup can get you up and running more quickly, but you risk closing down later.
