Water damage can spread faster and farther than you may think. A small leak from the roof, for example, can trickle down the studs of your home and cause damage to your basement ceiling, dripping slowly from there to the carpet.
Similarly, a shower head leak can flow to any number of points in your bathroom, whether it be under your flooring or behind your bathroom cabinetry.
This is because water follows the flow of gravity and will stop only at its lowest possible point. Unfortunately, it’s a near-guarantee that water damage will be more extensive than you first suspect.
And this is to say nothing of sudden water damage, such as a flooded laundry room or a home with standing water after a severe storm.
AFTER WATER DAMAGE, WHAT’S NEXT?
Act quickly. This can involve steps such as:
Moving valuables out of the water-affected rooms.
Opening the house to begin drying.
Placing blocks or foil under the legs of your furniture or moving furniture to a dry location.
Calling your insurance to find out whether you should file a claim and how to get started if deemed necessary.
Calling a trusted restoration professional for help extracting the water and properly drying out the home.
The primary reason you need to act quickly is how fast damage can spread. While the water should eventually dry on its own, waiting for that to happen will cause increasingly serious damage as well as additional costs to repair. Be aware of what could happen as time passes.
WATER DAMAGE SEVERITY TIMELINE
Within 24 to 48 hours: If water is not attended to and cleaned up properly within the first one to two days after water damage, mold growth can begin.
Within a week: Mold can continue to spread rapidly, making the site a biohazard. Water damage to wood and walls increases, while metal surfaces may begin to corrode.
After a week: At this point, mold spores spread dramatically, intensifying the risk of structural damage. Because the damage increases, so too will the time, cost and effort of any restoration work.
WATER LOSS POINTS OF PAIN
Though acting quickly is necessary, the process of moving forward can be complicated by your emotions. It’s normal – and understandable – for you to feel overwhelmed, uncertain and even afraid after home water damage because it was outside your control.
Whether the loss is big or small, the damage is bound to be more of a burden than you bargained for. Sometimes the greatest comfort can be found in realizing you’re not alone when putting your life back together.
A good restoration professional will help you address these pain points by working closely with you, your insurance and other contractors as needed.
PROVEN WATER DRYING PROCESS
A trusted restoration professional like ServiceMaster DSI will offer a proven water drying process according to IICRC industry standards. This includes steps such as:
Inspecting and assessing. Once water is no longer coming into your home, the restoration process can begin. Standing water will need to be removed, and belongings and structural components of the space inspected to ensure the home is properly treated.
Excess water removal. We use various methods to remove the excess water, including absorbing, draining, pumping and vacuuming.
Evaporation. Evaporation involves changing the liquid water to vapor. Using equipment such as air dryers helps the water to evaporate more quickly.
Dehumidification. The evaporation process leaves the air more humid, and humidity can settle into the home’s structure and contents, causing further damage. Dehumidifiers extract moisture from the air and expedite the drying process.
Monitoring. Our technicians take atmospheric and moisture content readings that indicate if the area is drying, at what rate and if any adjustments need to be made.
If you’ve had a recent water loss, we want to offer reassurance and encouragement – you will get through this! Time and again, ServiceMaster DSI has quickly and completely restored homes devastated by damage. We can give you an estimate and help guide you through your best options for the next steps. Rest assured, with the proper care and action, you will move forward with restoring your house.
For immediate water damage restoration services, contact us 24/7 via our contact form online. You may also call us any time at 844-413-3130.
