What to do when water invades your home

Pic Credit: flickr

Almost everyone has at some point in time faced a situation of potential water damage at home. The water might have affected only a part of the house or impacted the entire property. It takes only minutes for the water to meander through your house and settle in hard-to-reach corners and soak into carpets and rugs. Like an unwelcome guest, mould thrives and takes residence in your home. Flooding, washing machine, dishwasher or water heater leakages and burst pipes can all put your property at risk, if not attended to immediately. If the damage is caused due to a septic overflow or a sewage backup the unsanitary water can cause health complications.

So how does one deal with a flooding or leak?

Act quickly: Safety is crucial when re-entering a flooded area. Ensure structural stability before entering. Quickly try to understand the extent of the damage- if you can clean it up yourself or if it would be better to call in a professional. If you choose to clean it up yourself, first evacuate children, elderly persons and people with an already compromised immune system.

Gear up: Dress appropriately before entering the area to clean it. Thorough eye protection and mask, and non-porous gloves are essential.

Get to work: Make sure to quickly and completely dry wet areas and materials that have been soaked or even dampened. Don’t ignore any item, especially wooden, as mould needs no further invitation.

Go easy on the bleach: Bleach may not always work in your favour, and, being corrosive and strong, might even cause further damage to some items. Inform yourself well of what materials can withstand bleach and what quantities are safe to use.

Discard items if necessary: It may not be feasible to wash and disinfect some items. The may become hosts for mould growth and retain germs and bacteria.

Dry it all out: Ensure to dry out property and items. Focus on getting rid of moisture by keeping doors and windows open, using use heaters, air-conditioning and fans.

Watch the mould: Over the next few days, keep an eye on areas that were dampened to check how well they’re drying out, and watch out for new mould growth. If there is, have it remediated as early as possible. Keep your family’s health in mind. Have an expert assess the damage as they would know best how to catch even an unseen problem.

Look for the problems: Sometimes, to look for a long-term solution, one has to dig deeper into the problem. Thoroughly inspect your home for damaged pipes or taps and have your appliances serviced if required.

When your home has been invaded by water in any way, sometimes the best thing to do is call a professional, as they can best protect your property from further damage, by using the right equipment and procedures. We, at Classique ChemDry specialize in professional water cleanup and water damage restoration. Call us on 1800 213 006 for a free quote or visit us to know more about our services.