reduce the cost of water damage restoration

When you experience a flood in your home, you can sometimes face extreme levels of damage. You may wonder if any of the damaged items can even be saved. Whether or not your belongings can be spared depends on the type of flood and the extent of the water damage. Learn more about what you might be able to save. 

Finishes

Home finishes are things like wood trim, flooring, drapes, and doors. These are almost always damaged beyond repair in a flood. Carpeting is tough to dry out in time before mold growth begins, and wood floors or laminate floors warp and expand. You might think tiles would be okay, but a wet sub floor can rot beneath the tiles, even if the tiles are unscathed. You don't want to risk mold growth, so plan on replacing finishes.

Furniture 

Fortunately, furniture is another story. You should be able to save many pieces of furniture that are affected by the flood. For example, a wet couch can be restored because you can replace things like upholstery that are badly compromised. Just keep in mind that sometimes replacing the item can be less expensive than restoration. Unless the furniture is special to you or is very valuable, you will be better off simply getting a new piece for your home.

Another factor that affects whether or not furniture can be restored is the quality of the furniture itself. A composite wood bookshelf, for instance, will not do as well when exposed to water than a shelf made of quality hardwood. 

Documents and books

Documents and books are harder to restore depending on the level of water damage. You might want to take your books to a professional restorer if they are very valuable or cannot be replaced. Books with leather bindings may not survive simply because leather shrinks when it dries. However keep in mind that some books can be rebound if the paper is not compromised.

For important documents such as legal contracts, passports, and birth certificates, you can still take hope in the fact that while these are hard to replace you can still replace them especially if you have the damaged copies with you.  Going forward, you should make sure important documents are backed up electronically whenever possible.

Instruments

Pianos, string instruments, and guitars are very sensitive to humidity changes. These could possibly salvaged by a professional in instrument restoration. Other instruments, like trumpets, may need thoroughly cleaned and dried. If the flood water was contaminated, the finish on some instruments could be damaged and need replaced.

If you have any water damage restoration, make sure to contact a professional near you.