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.

7 Simple steps to help you deal with a wet carpet after water damage

Have you had a flooding or a broken pipe in your home? What do you do if you find your carpet has been exposed to or has been under water for a long time?

Don’t worry, most carpets can be saved if addressed as quickly as possible.
And a quick response is vital not just to save your carpet, but for the health of the home occupants too. Water remaining in your carpet becomes a breeding ground for mould in as little as 48 hours. Exposure to airborne mould may trigger symptoms in people with hay fever, asthma, and allergies.

So what are the things you need to do immediately?

1. Turn the water off at the source and be sure to turn off the electricity.
Have a good knowledge of where your main water valve is located and how to turn it off. This would save time, rather than finding out where the leak is.
Don’t step on any wet carpets till you have turned off the power. Water and electricity is a deadly combination.

2.  Identify the source of the damage and address it separately.
Find out how the water damage has happened, fix or replace any leaky or broken pipes. Takes steps to ensure that this kind of accident won't happen again.
It is important to identify the source so you can decide on how to take care of your carpet. If it is clean water, then drying your carpets will be easier. However, if its water from your washing machine or sewer pipes, you’ll have to get a professional cleaning company to disinfect the carpet.

3. Remove water as quickly as possible.
If the water is clean and non-contaminated, try to remove as much water as possible off the carpet and out of your home. However, if it is contaminated, don’t risk touching it. Let the experts and their special equipment handle it.
Using a wet/dry vacuum is one of the most effective tools and it can be easily rented.

4. Remove the carpet any other water-logged furnishings if possible.
You will definitely need help to move a wet carpet as it will be much heavier than usual. But it will dry better if it is out in open air.
Check carefully for water damage to any furniture and your flooring. You may need to avail the services of a water remediation company.

5. Ventilate the area.
Vacuuming the carpet and extracting water from it should help reduce it from soaking wet to damp. But you have to keep drying it, as mould and mildew are just waiting to grow there.
Keep all windows and doors open and fans running as this will ensure fresh air circulates.You can limit mould and mildew growth by using a dehumidifier.

6. Steam clean the carpet and check the carpet padding.
To properly sanitize and deodorize the carpet, you must use an effective steam cleaner. You may need to hire professionals to ensure the cleaning process is completed quickly and efficiently.
Thoroughly check the carpet pad under your carpet. If it is soaked through and you cannot remove the moisture through extracting, vacuuming, and dehumidifying, then it must be replaced. Usually, water damaged carpet padding cannot be saved and it will be less expensive than having to re-carpet your home.

7. Clean up and sanitize the affected areas.
Anything touched by the water, including the walls, hard-surface floors should be cleaned thoroughly and sanitized. Most household surfaces can be cleaned with soap and water. Sanitize and disinfect everything with a chlorine bleach solution. Remember to always wear rubber gloves.

If you are in need of a carpet cleaning after water damage, avail of our professional cleaning services. Your carpet will be clean and dry within hours as we use 80% less water than typical steam cleaners. We provide services in Goulburn and all surrounding suburbs.
Call 1800 213 006 or visit http://www.classiquechemdry.com.au/services/carpet-cleaning/

A Basic Guide To Extent Carpet Life

Tips to keep you upholstery clean

Keeping upholstery clean can be a tasking job, especially when you have kids and pets in the house or when you have friends and family over. Food spills, food crumbs, dust, dirt, germs, pet hair etc, Some of these can't be avoided.
Here are a few tips to keep your upholstery clean and fresh.

• Take instant action when you have any spills on the upholstery. Blot the spill as fast as possible so that it doesn't spread or soak the furniture. This will help in reducing the efforts for removing the stain later.

• Vacuum the upholstery to remove the dust and dirt, before starting with any upholstery cleaning. This will also leave the furniture looking fresh.

• Use different cleaning techniques depending on the type of upholstery your cleaning. The same cleaning technique will give you different results as each fabric is different.

• Invest in slip covers for the upholstery. You won't have to worry about kids dropping food crumbs or dirtying the furniture. Just remove the cover and put it in the dryer when dirty.

• Keep Leather upholstery way from the windows or direct sunlight. Direct sunlight will dry the leather and cause cracking.

If you are looking for a professional Upholstery cleaning service for your home or business, look no further. With ChemDry’s upholstery cleaning systems you can have your home looking, feeling and smelling as good as new. Give us a call on or visit our website at http://www.classiquechemdry.com.au/