What To Do If You Have A Serious Water Leak Or Flood

3/16/2017 (Permalink)

If you have a serious water leak or flood then this is something that you need to deal with swiftly and effectively. Unbeknownst to many, water can actually cause extensive and severe damage to a property that goes well beyond what you see on the surface. Here we will look a little more at the types of damage that a burst pipe, caved in ceiling or flood can do and at how you can minimize this destruction.

Why A Water Leak & Water Damage is So Severe

So what is it about water damage that makes it such a serious problem?

The most obvious damage that can be caused by water is of course erosion and water logging. If you have paper documents or wallpaper this can become moldy and start coming away from the walls. Likewise, if you have anything else with elements that dissolve in water or with ink that runs, this can be ruined by even a relatively minor flood or water leak.

This becomes a lot more dangerous suddenly if you have any kind of exposed electric cables or power sockets. If you have a wall socket for instance that’s in danger of being exposed to water damage then this can result in an electric shock and possibly even a fire. Electronic appliances like TVs and laptops meanwhile can be completely ruined beyond repair.

But the damage goes further than that. For instance, one additional form of water damage is mold growth. And if you have a wet surface, then a mold spore can settle there and lead to mold growth in as little as 24 hours.

Then there’s the fact that water can be highly unhygienic. If you have category 3 ‘black water’ then this can leave a terrible odor.

Water damage can also lead to structural damage to a property, it can knock things over and it can make a lot of mess.

So if you have water spraying up out of a cracked pipe – it’s paramount that you do something about it as soon as you possibly can.

How to Deal With A Water Leak & Damage

With all that in mind then, what can you do to quickly and effectively deal with water damage?

The first thing to do is to try and plug the water leak if at all possible. This won’t always be easy but if the water is coming from a pipe or tap then you may be able to isolate the water supply in your building by finding the ‘stop tap’. This closes off the circuit and thereby prevents more water from reaching that area.

If the issue is a flood meanwhile and you have sandbags or other items you can use as a barricade, then you can use these to block the flood of water. Meanwhile, anything that is on the floor that may be damaged by water can be removed and placed elsewhere. Got a laptop? Take it upstairs.

Note: you should not do this at the expense of your own safety. If there is any chance of injury or contamination as a result of the water leak, then vacate your home immediately and leave it to the professionals.

The next thing to do is to call a water damage restoration companies. These companies deal with the restoration of water damage but they also handle the immediate problem and will offer to seal walls and pipes in order to prevent the water from leaking further.

These companies will also handle many aspects of water damage restoration that you wouldn’t be able to on your own. They will help you to remove and dispose of items that are ‘beyond’ help, they will give sanitize any areas affected by contaminated water and will handle mold remediation and they will even deal with odors.

Most water damage restoration companies also offer a number of other services along the lines of renovation companies. This way, they can also help to restore your property back to the condition it was in prior to the damage – and even to restore it beyond that point by making improvements. Whether you need your walls repainting, your carpet refitting or your kitchen cabinets replaced, they should be able to help with these matters.

Preventing A Water Leak & Water Damage

Once you’ve done all this, the last thing to address is prevention. Water damage restoration companies can do a lot to help you restore your property and if you act quickly you can also minimize the damage to your possessions yourself. However, restoring your property is always going to be a distant second compared with preventing the damage in the first place.

How can you prevent water damage and a water leak? One important tip is to make sure that you get regular maintenance checks for your plumbing, for your roofing and for any other potential areas that might put you at risk. Flat roofs are particular dangerous because they can cave in when water builds up on top – so make sure a contractor comes round to look at them often. Likewise, if you’re on a flood plain, then look into building up defenses that can protect you in case there should be one. Plumbing is also something that needs regular maintenance and checkups – and if your plumber tells you that your system is old and could do with replacing… don’t put it off!

Have a Water Damage or Flood? Call the professionals here at SERVPRO of Oldham/Shelby/ Trimble/Spencer/Henry/Carroll today at 502.241.6861