Water damage in residential areas is often unexpected and is always unpleasant. Unwanted water can quickly spread and cause lots of damage to your interior spaces, which is never an ideal situation.
Unfortunately, water damage is hard to anticipate and, therefore, rather hard to prevent. However, the good news is that if you work quickly, you can have your home restored to its normal state in no time at all!
To help you move swiftly through the water damage restoration process, we have compiled a list of the steps you should follow immediately after you have spotted the leak or flood. Working fast will help to ensure the best possible results, so let’s get to it!
Call in the Experts
For starters, it is essential to note that this is one of those jobs that is usually best left to the experts. While you may be able to handle the cleanup on some of the smaller water spots, there are almost always more significant issues that may be invisible to the untrained eye.
As stated above, water spreads fast and can move through porous materials very quickly, making it a larger problem than what you may have initially thought.
Additionally, mold and other bacterial spores can grow in these damp areas, which is not something that you will want to be working around.
Atlanta GA mold remediation companies are able to come in and assess the area and provide you with a clear timeline and plan on what your next steps should be.
Put your trust in experts so that they can get the job done fast and restore your home quickly!
Remove Furniture that Was Exposed to Water
Since water moves quickly through porous materials, any cloth furniture could be a breeding ground for mold. Immediately after the water damage has been spotted, you should work on removing these pieces of furniture from the area so that they can properly dry.
If the weather forecast is looking dry for the next few days, you are welcome to leave these pieces outside so that they can properly dry. Additionally, strong sun rays will help to kill off any mold that may have formed!
If you live in a rainy or humid place, leaving the furniture outside will not do you much good. In this case, you should leave the pieces in a separate room from the water damage. You can also use fans or dehumidifiers to speed up the process.
Give the Room Some Time to Dry
Once everything has been moved from the room, you are going to need to give it some time to dry out. Again, fans and dehumidifiers can help speed up this process, but depending on the extent of the water damage, the room may need at least a few days to dry thoroughly.
During this time, you can speak with your local professionals to get a better idea of just how long things will take to dry and when it will be safe for you to return to the room.
URCPRO, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Note: Do not try to rush back into the affected room! Allow the experts the time to ensure that everything is safe not to be exposed to any harmful materials like mold or mildew.
Overall, dealing with water damage is far from ideal. But, with the proper help and timeline, you can quickly be back in your home, safe and sound.
We strongly recommend that you try out these simple steps for a quick and painless experience through the water damage restoration process.