Just the mere thought of water damage is every property owner’s nightmare. If you are unfortunate enough to experience water damage in your home, then you know how frustrating, possibly dangerous, and costly it can be to rectify the situation and repair any damages. There are multiple reasons as to why and how water damage can occur. We’re going to walk you through the most important steps that you need to take if you have experienced water damage in your home.
1.STOP THE WATER FLOW & TURN OFF ELECTRICITY
The first step is to stop the flow of water altogether. For safety reasons and to prevent any other damage, you want to do this as soon as possible. There is a valve, usually in one’s basement that will cut off the water supply to your entire house.
If the water damage is due to some sort of damaged or busted pipe, you may still see water coming out of certain areas for a few seconds. This is normal, it’s just the pipe clearing out the water that was already in the pipe.
2.CALL A PUBLIC ADJUSTER
Now that the threat is under control, after turning off the water source, call a public adjuster immediately. It’s best if they see your home in the exact condition that the water damage left it in. Do not clean up and do not move or remove anything.
The adjuster will explain the entire process to you in detail and let you know what the next steps are. They will make sure that everything is professionally handled from here on.
I know that this can be a stressful time, but there’s no need to worry. Your adjuster is highly trained in this area and qualified to walk you through the entire process of water damage restoration.
3.COLLECT EVIDENCE
You will need to keep records and documentation throughout the entire process. Begin to take photos all around your house, and of any damages that have occurred. Even if there are “wet spots’ ‘ without any visible damage, still take a picture. That wet spot that seems unsuspicious not can actually lead to mold and/or structural damage and will help professionals determine the exact formula for water damage restoration that you will need. There is no such thing as taking too many pictures. Take as many photos as possible. Everywhere that the water has even grazed, take a picture. Double check with your claim’s adjuster, just in case there is anything that you have missed, as far as pictures are concerned.
4.REMOVE ALL VALUABLES
After you have taken all of the pictures and assessed the situation with your adjuster, remove anything that is of any value as to prevent any damages from occurring to them. Although we mentioned that you should not remove anything from the home before the adjuster has time to make an assessment, we understand that some things may have to be removed such as birth certificates or cherished pictures. Just try your best to snap a quick photo of the area before you move anything.
5.VENTILATION
Try to avoid mold of any kind. Mold can be very dangerous, even to someone who does not have any upper respiratory issues such as allergies or asthma. Begin to add more ventilation to the affected areas in order to get the air circulating. If at all possible, open some windows and turn on a fan. Do not underestimate the healing properties of fresh air. Your safety comes first and foremost.
Another thing that the ventilation will help, is in preventing the structure from weakening as much. Whether the damage was caused from flooding or a pipe burst, you do not want to give the moisture a chance to linger to the point of causing structural issues such as weakening the walls or floorboards. But, not to worry, these are all part of the water damage restoration process.
These are but a few steps that you can utilize, in order to decrease the amount of damage that could occur or worsen. I know that this process is very stressful and often comes as a surprise, but no worries, that’s why we are here to help you.