Water damage is a major concern that can lead to a wide range of additional problems in your home. If the water isn’t eradicated quickly, mold could develop, which oftentimes causes health issues for anyone who lives there. At Pur360, we can provide you with water damage restoration services to make sure that any damage is mitigated and materials are effectively salvaged. Before we arrive at your home, there are numerous steps you can take to reduce the damage that occurs after water gets into your home.
What You Should Do Immediately After Detecting Water Damage
Whether a pipe has leaked into your home or a heavy rainstorm is causing flooding, there are several things you can do when dealing with a water damage emergency. First, make sure that you contact our water damage restoration company immediately, which allows us to arrive at your home shortly after the water damage has started.
It’s also essential that you switch off the water main, which is likely located around the perimeter of your home. Once the water main has been switched off, water should stop flooding your home. Since homeowners’ insurance can cover any water damage that occurs, you should consider taking photos of the damage that’s occurred up to this point.
If there’s a considerable amount of water buildup in a room or area of your home, you should remove extra water with a mop, bucket, or wet vacuum. Furniture should also be dried as much as possible. Any upholstery or wet cushions can be propped up for more effective drying. When it’s warm outside, you can open your windows and turn fans on to accommodate quicker drying.
If you have any dyed rugs in your home, they should be removed from wet carpets immediately to keep the dyes from seeping onto the carpet below. In the event that water can still damage your possessions, try to move any loose belongings to a dry area. The same should be done with valuable decor and art pieces.
One step you can take to keep your home from being damaged further is to look for any safety hazards. All gas or electrical connections should be switched off for the areas that have been damaged by water. If the flooding has come from outside, there’s also a chance that venomous insects or wild animals could get into your home. Dangerous debris and rubble could be hidden by standing water as well.
Make sure that you look closely for signs of mold. There’s a high chance that mold growth will occur when materials are damaged by water. If left untended, the mold could spread and may eventually produce toxic spores that can cause severe respiratory issues. Depending on the extent of the water damage, the entire structure could be unsafe for you to be in. Water can weaken construction materials, which poses a problem if the load-bearing walls, basements, and foundations have been damaged.
When you attempt to remove water from your home, it’s highly recommended that you wear goggles, head protection, and gloves to keep injuries at bay. Flood water can consist of biological and chemical contaminants that may be risky to your health.
If you want the materials and items in your home to dry out quickly, your first goal should be to remove as much water as you can. The amount of time that the water remains in your home will determine how much damage occurs. Here at Pur360, we have the tools and experience needed to efficiently remove water and get started on water damage mitigation.
If you have time before we arrive, consider checking your attic as well. The insulation in your walls should wick moisture upwards and into the attic. This insulation is able to retain moisture for a lengthy period of time. Since the attic has more heat in it, mold growth can occur and spread with ease. If you know that water damage has occurred, remove all water-soaked possessions from this area.
What You Should Avoid Doing After Detecting Water Damage
While the steps you take during a water damage emergency are important, the things that you avoid doing are just as critical if you want to mitigate water damage. First of all, make sure that you don’t leave any magazines or books on a wet floor. You should also avoid using a household vacuum to get rid of extra water. This method is ineffective and will likely result in your vacuum malfunctioning.
If you have any wet fabrics, don’t forget to hang them to dry. Don’t turn on household appliances that could spark an electrical fire if they come into contact with water. Try to avoid walking into rooms where the ceilings are currently sagging. It’s possible that they will cave in.
What Our Water Damage Restoration Services Entail
Water damage in a home can have many causes. Along with flooding and heavy rain, water damage can also result from bad ventilation, drainage issues, plumbing issues, and water leaks. Our team at Pur360 uses natural and chemical-free treatments to get rid of mildew and mold before they begin to spread throughout your entire home.
Our trained technicians know how to get rid of water, detect the presence of mold, and get rid of mold. We’ll also restore all of the materials that are still salvageable. Keep in mind that mold can lead to health issues even among individuals who are otherwise healthy.
Water damage restoration involves salvaging or getting rid of carpeting, fabrics, and drywall. If you have expensive furnishings that have been damaged by water, most of them could be saved with the right techniques. We’re able to detect mold in ceilings and walls where it’s otherwise hidden. If you notice that your home has a musty smell, it’s possible that this smell is caused by the presence of mold.
It’s highly recommended that you avoid performing mold remediation yourself. Depending on the type of mold, there could be serious health consequences for handling mold in an unsafe manner. The wrong approach could cause mold spores to spread throughout your indoor air, which would require additional filtering.
Our extensive water damage restoration services include:
- Carpet damage restoration
- Mold testing and remediation
- Removal of musty smells
- Water-damaged drywall restoration
- Salvaging of wet materials/possessions
We can also provide you with fan and dehumidifier rentals to make sure that your home dries out without delay.
When you request our water damage restoration services, we’ll focus on getting rid of any mold or mildew in your home before salvaging as many materials and items as possible. Along with water damage restoration, homeowners can benefit from our mold remediation and testing services. Whether your home has been damaged by water or you’ve been unable to get rid of persistent pet odors, our odor removal services will detect the source of the odor and take steps to get rid of it for good. Additional services we offer include ultraviolet sanitization, drywall repair, and painting. Call Pur360 in Lake Zurich, IL today to schedule our water damage restoration services.