If you’ve experienced water damage to your home or business property, you may be tempted to try and clean it up yourself to save money on the cost of hiring a professional water damage restoration company. But keep in mind that water damage cleanup can be extremely dangerous without the right training and the right equipment, and only those experienced in this kind of work should attempt it. This guide will walk you through all of the steps involved in properly cleaning up water damage and restoring your property so you can get back to your life and business as quickly as possible.
4 Ways to Determine the Extent of the Damage
Before you do anything else, it’s a good idea to assess how serious (or not serious) your problem is. Based on your particular circumstances, there are several different methods for doing so: You might need to consult a plumber if the water damage is due to leaking or broken pipes. (1) Place a fan in front of a door and turn it on; if you notice any moisture or water vapor escaping from under or around that door, damage is likely present. (2) Check for discoloration by pushing back carpeting with a broom handle or similar object; if water has risen above floors or carpets, further assessment is needed. (3) Run an electric current through carpets using an electric floor sweeper; standing water conducts electricity well, meaning an electrical short will indicate substantial amounts of moisture. (4) Don’t forget to check appliances like washing machines, dishwashers, and refrigerators—in some cases even seemingly innocuous devices may be hiding signs of water damage.
5 Tips for Helping Your Home Dry Faster
Moisture control is key when it comes to drying out water-damaged homes, and there are five important things you can do to help your house dry faster. These tips include raising vents, removing rugs, using fans, using dehumidifiers or air conditioners—and yes! There’s more! Check out these other ideas for helping your home dry faster. You’ll even find our favorites for finding hidden moisture problems. It’s a lot of information to take in at once, but we know you can handle it. Just remember: It may take time to get rid of excess moisture in your home, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t anything you can do right now. Raising vents means less mold will develop.
Factors that Affect Drying Time
When you begin cleaning up water damage, one of your primary concerns is going to be drying out your property. How long it takes depends on a number of factors. Let’s discuss these factors so that you can get an idea of how quickly you can expect your home or business to dry out. This information may also help you decide what steps are best for restoring your property. Physical Factors: The most important factor in determining how fast your house dries after a water disaster is physical – specifically temperature and humidity. All other things being equal, if it’s colder outside and warmer inside then more moisture will leave the building because there will be more warm air (with lower relative humidity) passing through cracks in walls and windows where cold air leaks into your home/office. Similarly, if it’s hotter outside and cooler inside then more moisture will come into your building as air escapes from your home/office via infiltration. Other relevant physical factors include rain fall, wind speed, drainage from gutters and downspouts, proximity to larger bodies of water, etc.. In general; however; weather patterns tend not to have dramatic effects since they often change over time whereas temperature and humidity tends to stabilize once they reach equilibrium conditions which is something we discuss below as well. We do address weather-related issues in other sections of our guide however so keep reading! Environmental Factors: Next most important factor impacting how fast your place dries is environmental; namely wind speed and direction but also atmospheric pressure. Wind carries heat away from surfaces towards colder areas as defined by Isaac Newton’s Law of Cooling along with evaporative cooling due to latent heat released upon condensation.
Things to Consider Before Calling a Professional
If you’re thinking about hiring a pro, there are six things you should ask yourself. The pros will be able to help you get your life back on track sooner—but if it’s an emergency and time is of the essence, skip these steps and start looking for a reputable company immediately. Here are some questions to ask yourself before calling in a professional 1) What type of damage do I have? 2) Do I know how much damage has been done? 3) Will I need cleanup help? 4) Who can help me best at such short notice? 5) Can I stay calm enough to make good decisions now that my home has been damaged? 6) Are all family members accounted for (including pets)? 7) Is it possible that any asbestos has been disturbed? 8) Has sewage or other hazardous material leaked into living areas? 9) How quickly do I need to take action following a fire or flood? 10) Am I considering using multiple cleaning companies so I can compare their services and prices? 11) How expensive will repairs be, and how long might they take? 12) Might anyone besides myself or my family be injured as a result of water damage? 13) Can I afford to clean up without insurance coverage? 14) Would filing a claim with my insurance company give me access to additional funds and resources? 15) Can I afford not to file a claim with my insurance provider?
What Do Insurance Companies Cover?
Property insurance policies will likely cover your losses, but they probably won’t pay for repairs. Flood insurance is available in some areas, but it only covers flooding damage caused by overflowing rivers or lakes. If you’re not sure whether you have flood insurance, call your agent and ask. If you don’t already have flood insurance, check with your homeowners association to see if there are any special assessments that can be paid out of pocket. Also check with your lender; most banks require homeowners to purchase flood insurance from a specific provider before issuing a loan. Then contact your local government office; they may help finance free or low-cost flood-prevention equipment. Finally, if you own a rental property affected by water damage, call your landlord’s insurance company directly. Most landlords carry coverage for floods on their rental properties—even if they don’t carry an umbrella policy—as well as mold damage. (Most homeowner policies exclude anything related to mold.) But unlike typical commercial renters insurance, these policies do not cover tenant contents. So depending on what happened in your home, you might end up paying more than just out-of-pocket expenses to make things right again. Remember, though: Homeowners and renters insurance usually doesn’t cover sewer backup or mold growth, so you might need additional coverage for those incidents.
