How to Recover From Home Water Damage

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According to industry statistics, approximately 14,000 U.S residents experience a water damage emergency, either at home or at work, every day.

Depending on where you live, the chances of experiencing home water damage can be pretty high.

Flood damage can be a very difficult thing to deal with, and many homeowners have incurred big losses from it.

Some suffer serious losses because they erroneously assume that the only thing they need to do is get rid of the water, not knowing that home flood restoration is much deeper.

No matter how difficult it may be, it is possible to recover a flood-damaged home. You just need to know what to do and when to do them.

You also need to understand who to call and the right time to make the call. Here, we will summarize the right steps you can take to recover from home water damage.

Safety First

You should know that the safety of you and your family is the most important thing to consider in the face of flooding.

Irrespective of the valuables you are likely to lose, the first thing you should do is to get your family to safety. If you are asked to leave the area for safety reasons, do that immediately.

Depending on the nature of the flooding, you may not need to move away. In this case, there are important safety measures to take.

Turning off power is one of the most important steps to safety since water and electricity do not mix.

You should also cut off the gas supply, protect your water system, and wear protective gear.

Get In Touch With Your Water Damage Insurance Company

Immediately after moisture damage, one of the first things you should do is to call your insurance company and inform them about the damage.

It is always important to get in touch as soon as possible so that your home can be assessed in time.

Insurance companies will only pay your claims after their insurance adjusters have documented the level of damage.

Get them to come as early as possible before you start any repair efforts. This way, you will stand a better chance of getting the compensation you deserve.

recover From Home Water Damage

Call In the Professionals

No matter what you know, it is impossible to get your home back to a safe haven on your own after flood damage.

The best thing to do is to call in the experts to do the job. The professional services of a water damage restoration company like The Duck Kings Dallas will help you in many ways.

When you get professionals to get the job done, they will quickly arrest the situation and prevent further damages that you may not know about.

They also take a holistic approach to water damage restoration so that your home will be livable again in a short while.

Remove the Flood Water

It is important to get rid of floodwater immediately if it is safe to do so.

You don’t really need to wait for an insurance adjuster to come before starting to get rid of the water. You also don’t have to wait till professionals from a restoration company arrive.

The major reason you need to get rid of floodwater as soon as possible is to prevent further damage.

Getting rid of floodwater early is also important for your safety. Wading through floodwater can be pretty dangerous as sharp objects and things that can hurt you may settle at the bottom where you can’t see them.

Start removing the water as soon as you can. You will likely find debris also; dispose of them properly.

Remove Some of Your Undamaged Valuables

Once you get the opportunity, it is important that you get some of your undamaged valuables to safety once you experience home water damage.

If you have certificates, contracts, and other important documents, get them to safety as early as possible.

In addition to paper documents, get valuables like jewelry and electronic gadgets for safety. Depending on the type of things you are removing, inform your insurance company about it as early as possible.

Get Your Furniture and Appliances Outside

Your home furnishing may not be damaged too quickly by water, but it is important that you get them outside once you have the chance.

Wooden furniture should not be left in the house, even after the water has been removed.

In addition to furniture and appliances, get most of the things that are easy to move outside.

Wall arts, clocks, and removable fixtures should be taken outside, regardless of whether they have been damaged or not.

Remove Carpets and Damaged Floorings

Floorings are easily damaged by flooding. Even when they are not damaged, it is important to get wet carpets or rugs and the underpad outside as soon as possible.

Leaving wet carpets and floorings inside water-damaged homes poses a danger to the inhabitants.

They can also encourage mold growth and constitute a health hazard. Learn how to fix laminate floor water damage here.

In addition to carpets and rugs, some tiles, laminate, and hardwood flooring can also be damaged by floodwater.

If this is the case, the best thing to do is tear them out and replace them.

Open Up the House and Try to Dry It Out

It is also important that you open up your home after flooding, even when the floodwater has been removed.

This is to encourage drying and prevent further damage. You can take a step further by using a big fan to reduce humidity.

There may be a need to open up your wall, remove drywall, remove insulation, and take other important steps to let the wall cavity dry out.

Professionals from water damage and restoration companies will know how best to handle this.

Hire the Right Contractors for Specific Repairs

There is a need to get the right contractors to handle all aspects of repairs in your water-damaged home or for your commercial water damage clean up project.

As mentioned already, getting reputable water damage and restoration company is the right thing to do.

Even if you are good with home repairs, it is important that you get certain professionals to handle the most critical aspect of repairs.

HVAC and electrical contractors, for instance, must be involved in the restoration process.

Move Back Into Your Home 

If you follow the steps recommended above, you will be able to recover your home after water damage. The most important thing is that the home will be made habitable again.

To make sure that your home is safe and habitable again, test the air. When that is done, and it is ascertained that the home is livable again, move back in with your family.