Protect Your Home From Water Damage

5/1/2021 (Permalink)

Water damage is one of the most common and costliest disasters your home or business may suffer. Things like a burst pipe, a malfunctioning dishwasher or tide flooding are just some of the many ways water damage could strike your property.

1) Protecting Your Home From Water Damage

Dealing with water damage is enough of problem, but it can have a long-term impact on your home or business. Mold usually follows water damage, as mold can begin to grow and flourish within 24 to 48 hours after moisture exposure.

When considering the different ways to protect your property, it is helpful to break it down by areas of impact, such as crawlspaces, basements, kitchens, bathrooms, flooring, and ceilings.

A way to prevent water damage in basements and crawlspaces is to ensure there is no water seeping in. Do this by resealing vulnerable areas, making sure water drains away from your home and installing a backwater valve.

2) The most common way your kitchen and bathrooms will suffer water damage is due to plumbing issues and appliance failures.

Be sure you:

• Inspect all appliances regularly, watching for issues with hoses and faucets
• Check the seal and caulking around your showers and tubs to make sure they are watertight
• Know where the main shut-off valve is in your home
• Don’t leave the house while the washer or dishwasher is running

Protecting your possessions from water damage may not always be possible, but there are things you can do to at least decrease the amount of damage and loss. Store items in waterproof bins and keep them up off of the floor using shelving, especially when you are storing items in a basement or garage.

3) Recovering From Water Damage

If your home does experience a water damage situation, you can stand a good chance at salvaging items that can be dried out within 48 hours.

You’ll want to contact your insurance provider immediately and evaluate the extent of the water damage as well as identify the type of water that is involved.

4) The three types of water that can cause damage are:

• Water from rain, condensation or leaky pipes is considered “clean” water.

• Water from dishwashers, washing machines and clean toilets is considered “gray” water.

• Water from sewage or serious flooding from nearby rivers is called “black” water and can cause serious health effects.

Following a water damage disaster, hopefully you will be able to safely get to your home and get it dried out, dehumidify the area, remove wet objects and disinfect remaining materials within the 24–48 hour timeline before mold starts to grow.

For your books and papers, here’s a pro tip: Freeze wet books, photos and papers in a frost-free freezer to buy some extra time. This prevents mold and mildew from developing and causing more deterioration. Once able, you can remove them from the freezer and air-dry or fan-dry the pages.

It may seem like recovering from water damage is an overwhelming and slightly impossible task, but it doesn’t have to be. You can call contact a highly trained Franchise Professional at SERVPRO of Cape May & Cumberland Counties at 609-624-0202 or EMAIL.

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