reduce the cost of water damage restoration

If your home has water damage from a flood, leak in a water heater, or anything else, you may look around and feel like your house is a lost cause. Fortunately, it likely is not. There are some things that may be too damaged to repair or clean, but others may be able to be saved, such as furniture, electronics, etc. Below are some tips to get everything cleaned up so you can get things back to normal again. Before you do anything, make sure you contact your insurance company to see what is covered and what is not.

Get Things Out

Getting your things out should be your first priority. Electronics may be first on your list because if they are damaged by water they will have to be replaced. Turn the power off to your home before you do anything, just in case the water rises to a level that is above your electrical outlets. To turn off the power, find the electrical panel inside your home. Open it up and you should see a larger main circuit breaker along with smaller breakers. Flip the main breaker to the opposite side. If the electrical panel is wet in any way, call an electrician to do this for you.

Once you remove everything that is removable, pull up all damaged carpeting that you can. It may not be completely damaged if you get it out of the water as quick as you can. In some cases, however, it will shrink due to the wetness. To remove the carpet, first remove the molding or baseboard along the walls using a putty knife to pry it off. Be cautious, as there will be sharp tacks or tack boards. When you are finished, carefully pull up the carpeting and take it outside. Remove the padding once the carpet is off. It is likely not reusable, however, as it works much like a sponge and absorbs most of the water.

Removing The Water And Drying Out

Once everything is out of your house, the next job is to get the water out. A wet/dry vacuum works well to suck up the water, but make sure where you plug it in is away from the water. If you have standing water in your basement, rent a submersible pump to remove it. You can rent one of these at most hardware or home supply stores.

Once the water is removed from your home, you need to dry everything out. Open all windows, and put large fans in each room. You can rent or purchase large industrial fans that will blow air much quicker than a regular house fan.

Cleaning Up

Mold can grow very quickly after a flood. Use a disinfectant to clean everything that is washable. Spray the area with the disinfectant starting at the top and working your way down. As you clean, change your cleaning rag frequently so you do not spread the mold. When you are finished, spray clean water on the area and wipe it off with a clean towel to rinse off the cleanser. Throw away all towels that you used to clean the mold in plastic bags, and take them outside to your garbage receptacle.

If you had a large flood, you should consider hiring a water damage restoration company like Central Flood Management Inc. They can detect mold in places that you cannot, such as behind drywall. They have special equipment they can use to completely remove all mold from your home to make it safe for you to live in.