8 Water Damage Restoration Tips
After your home has experienced water damage, you will find yourself cleaning up a watery mess. Whether it is ripping up carpet or tiles, tearing down drywall, and/or replacing furnishings, you’ve got a lot of work ahead of you to get your home back in order.
Follow these 8 water damage restoration tips for cleaning up after water damage.
1. Prepare for Water Damage Insurance Claims
Many homeowner’s insurance policies cover unexpected water damage. Contact your insurance company adjuster immediately and take the following steps to prepare for the claim. It is important to note water damage to your home is generally covered by a standard homeowner’s insurance policy. If the damage is considered sudden internal water damage, your policy usually protects you. However, it usually does not cover damage done by lack of maintenance or neglect, nor damage resulting from a flood.
To prepare for your insurance claim, take the following steps:
Take photos of the water damage to keep track of household items and home conditions.
Keep damaged materials for proof of loss.
Be present if an adjuster needs to visit your home.
The adjuster will assess the damage to the house, providing you with a proof of loss statement to sign.
Additional damages can be added when properly identified.
2. Disconnect the Power and Gas Before Entering the Home’s Premises
Before any cleanup can be done, you must shut down the electrical supply and the gas. Turning off power leading into the affected area, especially if water rises above electrical outlets, will help reduce the risk of electrical shock. Turning off the gas will prevent harmful fumes from building up and seeping into your home.
3. Remove Important Household Items
Remove electronics, furniture, and any other important items immediately. The quicker you can get items out of the water, the better chance you will have of saving them. If you don’t have a lot of standing water around the house, You can also try pulling up your carpets and underpadding or even some sticky back tiles to see what you can salvage.
4. Remove Excess Water
Removing excess water is the most challenging part. If there is enough water that you need to turn off the power, you will have to take the manual approach: gather buckets, towels, and mops to try and get rid of as much water as possible. This can be physically taxing, so take breaks when necessary. If you have a way to supply power, or a backup generator, you can hook up an automatic pump or a wet vac to remove the water. Either way, it is essential to remove the excess water at the earliest possible time.
5. Dry Out the Affected Area
When you have finished removing excess water, move on to the drying stage as soon as possible. Use fans, dehumidifiers, and open any windows (as long as it is not raining, of course) to improve air circulation and help dry out the damaged area. Continue to circulate dry air. If it is humid and in the middle of the summer months, consider running the air conditioning to avoid a muggy interior of your home.
6. Clean & Disinfect the Damaged Area
After the damaged area has had time to dry, use a good disinfectant to remove any bacteria that might have come up through sewers, plumbing, or from outside, depending on your water source. Various affordable and accessible cleaning solutions can help clean the area, including bleach, ammonia, borax, vinegar, and baking soda.
7. Take Steps to Stop Mold Growth
Once the damaged area has been dried and cleaned, it is time to take preventative steps to stop mold from serious growing. Apply a mold control spray, like Concrobium, over the affected area according to directions on the bottle. Once the spray dries overnight, it will destroy any mold spores and provide continued blockage.
8. Dispose of Damaged Items in a Responsible Way
Once you have water damage in your home, you will want to follow these 8 water damage restoration tips to clean up after water damage. You must stop the water from entering and dry up as much as possible. Contact your insurance agent and prevent mold from growing. Remove and discard damaged items in the most responsible way that you can.
Contact ServiceMaster Today for All of Your Water Cleanup Needs
When you have a water emergency in your home, For the best water cleanup services in the greater Twin Cities metro area, get in touch with the expert technicians at ServiceMaster of Minneapolis. We do everything we can to help you get your home back to normal as quickly as possible, offering 24/7 availability every single day of the year.
When we partner with you, we apply our expertise, training, and equipment to fix any water damage your home is facing. Whether you need help with water cleanup, mold removal, and remediation, or fire damage and cleanup, ServiceMaster will help get your property back to its normal form and function, and your life back on track.
