Whether due to extreme weather, faulty plumbing, or a simple accident, water damage can be devastating to your home. Typically, you can prevent water damage from becoming permanent damage if you act fast enough, but sometimes the type of water you are dealing with is dangerous and requires help from a professional. Check out the information below to learn more about the kinds of water damage and discover the steps you can take when confronted with this issue.
Types of Water
- Clean Water: This occurs mainly from leaky or burst pipes, condensation, or rainwater intruding into your home. Damage from clean water is the simplest to repair and safe for you to complete on your own.
- Gray Water: Dirtier than clean water, gray water comes from your appliances like dishwashers and washing machines, as well as your toilet. You can clean gray water damage yourself but make sure to use safety gear and properly dispose of the water and any affected items.
- Black Water: This most dangerous type of water originates from flooding and sewage overflow, so it may contain waste, chemicals, bacteria, and toxic substances. Because black water is so contaminated, you should not attempt to clean damage yourself but call a professional company that specializes in this kind of water damage.
Steps for Repairing Water Damage
- Consider the safety of your family first: If the water damage resulted from pipes bursting or flooding or involves stagnant water, you must immediately turn off your home’s power supply and the main water inlet valve of your plumbing system. In the event of severe flooding, the gas supply will need to be turned off as well. Put on protective gear to avoid contamination, and do not wade through any stagnant water as this can result in injuries.
- Begin the drying process as soon as possible: For small leaks, utilize mops, fans, and other forms of ventilation to dry the damaged area. Larger areas of more serious damage may require pumps to remove the water. After you have cleaned the water from the damaged areas, use your heating system to provide natural circulation or warm air, or continue using electric fans.
- Inspect your home for mold: Mold can begin growing as quickly as 24 hours after water damage occurs, so thoroughly inspect your entire home, even areas that were not originally subjected to damage. Mold is extremely toxic and very damaging to your property, so if you do find it, call a professional immediately.
- Remove and dispose of debris: Any item that has sustained severe water damage should be disposed of, especially any porous materials because they are not salvageable.
- Call in a professional to evaluate the damage: Water damage can extend under your floor, into your plumbing system, or other spots that may be missed, so hiring a professional is necessary to determine the extent of the damage.
- Disinfect remaining items: Use bleach, commercial disinfectants, or homemade cleaning products to disinfect any remaining items in your home. Wear protective gear, including a suit, gloves, mask, and goggles for this step, as mold spores are invisible to the naked eye and can spread easily throughout your home.
- Contact your home insurance company: After the water damage is assessed by a professional inspector, contact your insurance company. Typically, a claims adjuster will come to your home to estimate the damage to your property and other assets and to document the steps you have taken to help alleviate damage.
- Seek professional help for repair: The final step is to schedule repair from a professional to ensure structural integrity is maintained during a repair. If the damage has impacted your ceiling, make this area your priority because it could suddenly collapse and cause serious injury. Then move onto your floors and walls.
Water damage can be devastating to your home and hazardous to the health of your family. If a plumbing issue is at fault, contact Mr. Rooter right away by calling (281) 724-3731.