Almost everything in your home can be ruined by water damage and need Water Damage Restoration. Regardless of how much water found its way into your home, you should address the issue right away.
Water itself can destroy your house’s materials and contents but can also lead to mold growth and inflict even more damage. Remediating water is often an intensive process and must be conducted with the utmost care to ensure everyone’s safety.
Let’s explore how destructive water damage can be to homes and buildings and how it poses a significant health risk. We’ll also provide the essential steps of water damage remediation and restoration.
How Bad Is Water Damage to Your Home?
Water damage can be caused by anything. Here is a list of possible sources:
- Storms
- Overflowing/clogged toilets and sinks
- Leaks: AC, water heater, ceiling, etc.
- Burst pipes
- Sewage backup
- Faulty appliances
The resulting water damage can wreak havoc in your home at an incredibly fast rate. Water can damage your home’s foundation and undermine its structural integrity. In addition, electrical systems, appliances, furniture, and personal belongings are susceptible to water damage.
Depending on the source, your home can be flooded by clean, gray, or black water. Blackwater and, to a lesser extent, gray water are the most harmful But, even clean water can cause a lot of damage over time if it’s not addressed right away. In any case, your best course of action is to call a professional water remediation service to effectively mitigate the damage and restore your home.
Why Is Water Damage Harmful to Your Health?
Exposure to dirty water, especially black water, is a significant health hazard and may cause allergies, infections, and diseases. Flood water is a breeding ground for all kinds of bacteria, toxins, and harmful microorganisms. Dirty water should only be approached carefully using the appropriate safety equipment to protect your skin, eyes, mouth, and nose.
If your house is flooded, you can always expect mold to grow, which adds another health concern. Mold growth will affect the air quality in your home and may lead to allergies and respiratory problems. Consequently, dealing with mold is usually a part of the water damage remediation process.
How to Remediate Water Damage and Restore Your Home
The best way to deal with water damage is to hire a certified water remediation service. Trained specialists will act quickly and mitigate water damage in the best possible way using the appropriate equipment and procedures.
Here is what the water remediation process looks like:
Evaluate the Extent of Water Damage
The remediation plan will be determined by the scope of water damage and how much area is affected. Once the source of the issue is identified and fixed, damage can be contained to prevent any additional water leaks. From there, the house should be thoroughly inspected, which will help you determine the best way to proceed.
Remove Standing Water
The most serious concern, at this stage, is standing water. The more it sits in your home, the more damage is inflicted. With the help of pumps, vacuums, and other specialized equipment, standing water must be extracted as quickly as possible. If you have a sump pump or something similar, you can remove water until the remediation experts arrive. Otherwise, make sure to call them right away to limit the potential damage.
Dry and Dehumidify the Affected Areas
Flood water will lead to elevated moisture levels in your home, even after its removal. At this point, it’s necessary to dry and dehumidify all the affected areas, including the ones that couldn’t be accessed during the previous step. This will help stop mold growth as well.
Remove Affected Materials
Water will likely damage your house’s foundation materials and personal belongings. These must be removed, dried out completely, and cleaned whenever possible. Professionals will help salvage as many of your possessions as possible during this step.
Clean/Replace Water-Damaged Materials
Once water and moisture are no longer an issue, several reparations will occur, and any salvageable items should be thoroughly cleaned. Water remediation experts will restore your house to its original state and even help you file an insurance claim.
If your home in Grandview, Missouri, is affected by water damage, you’ll want to get it fixed immediately. Contact Enviro-Dry at 816-654-5067 for professional water damage restoration services. They have the experience and expertise needed to quickly and efficiently get your home back to normal. Don’t let water damage ruin your home—call Enviro-Dry today for Water Damage Restoration!