Shut Off Water Immediately and Call a Plumber
- It is important to minimize the amount of water that gets into your home, by shutting off the main water line you can ensure the damage is minimized.
- Once you have ensured the water is stopped, contact a plumber of your choice to have the problem fixed. If you do not know of any plumbers, you can feel free to contact our office and we will gladly help you find a reputable one in your area.
- Once you have a plumber scheduled, the next thing is getting a Mitigation Contractor scheduled as close to the plumber as possible. It is perfect if you can get them scheduled on the same day. In this case, communication is key!
- Depending upon the size of the damaged area, you may want to file an insurance claim. Typically most homeowners decide if this is worth doing based around the cost of their deductible. When making this decision there are three factors to consider: Mitigation Cost, Structural Repair Costs, and Damaged Personal Property. If your deductible will be less than the total of those three items, it is oftentimes worth filing the claim. If you aren’t sure what these costs are, or how to navigate this decision, you could always contact us or your insurance company to get some advice.
- Regardless of insurance coverage, it is always the homeowner’s responsibility to mitigate the damages to their home. Failure to do so could cause issues with coverage of the claim. So we suggest getting a mitigation contractor to assist in the cleanup and dry out phase within 24 hours or less of the loss occurring.
Start the Drying Process
There are many different drying techniques that can apply to different circumstances, a qualified and professional Mitigation Contractor is key to ensuring you don’t have future issues such as microbial or bacterial growth. The last thing you want to add to your already stressful circumstance is future mold growth or health concerns. This is why it is important to call us at ServiceMaster of Greater Washington. We ensure your home is dried out properly and there are no underlying moisture concerns.
Oftentimes people like to open windows or doors to “air out” the area, this is not always beneficial. Unless you are familiar with the psychrometric chart, GPP, etc.. you could be causing more damage and allowing harmful circumstances to occur. While this might seem like a great idea to speed up the process, temperature fluctuations and moisture can provide an environment for mold to grow. Keep all windows and doors shut to the damaged areas and allow the professionals to decide if it is helpful.
If you would like to assist in minimizing the damage, you are welcome to use a wet vacuum to remove the excess standing water. While it seems like common knowledge to place air movers or fans on wet areas, it isn’t always the best idea. There are various factors that could actually cause more harm than good by doing so. The professionals will help you determine the Category of the water and if air movers or fans are safe to place within the environment.
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To speak to an IICRC certified water technician, or to schedule service, call (703) 783-3912.
