Water Damage Cleanup Process
One of the most overwhelming problems a property owner may faces is water damage. Rapid response is key to lessen further damage from occurring and can minimize the need for addition repairs. Water damage can be as minor as a leaky pipe, to severe as a community-wide flood. Although the water clean-up process may vary depending on the extent of damage (and other circumstances), here are the basic steps to the water damage cleanup process:
Remove the water: Extract standing water from damaged surfaces using wet vacuuming equipment, submersible pumps, mopping and soaking up the excess moisture. When contents and building materials are left in standing water they will continue to deteriorate. During a flood, standing water may become contaminated with sewage and animal feces making it bio-hazardous. Therefore, standing water must be removed to lessen contents and building materials from deterioration and/or becoming contaminated with potentially bio-hazardous water.
*Consideration: Protective clothing must be worn when dealing with water that has been contaminated with bio-hazardous materials.- Remove debris: Removing debris ensures a clear pathway making all water effected areas accessible for extraction. Debris can contain excess moister which can slow the drying process, therefore it needs to be removed from the affected area. If necessary, flooring may also need to be removed if they have become damage and saturated with excess water.
- Treat with antimicrobial agent: After water damage, the property and its affected contents will need a deep and thorough cleaning with antimicrobial agents. Sanitizing, disinfecting, and sterilizing is necessary to control mold growth and unpleasant odors that develop when items become wet.
- Remove content that have been in contact with water: Water damage content may be salvageable if treated promptly and appropriately. Wet items tend to develop mold growth and an unpleasant odor therefore they will need to me removed, cleaned and disinfected.
- Protect content that have not been affected: Content unaffected by water damage should be protected by covering, elevating or removing. It is important that these items be separated from items that have been contaminated to prevent cross contamination. By covering, elevating or removing items the extent of the damage is controlled lessening secondary damage from occurring.
- Remove excess moister from air and building materials: Excess moister can be drawn out with the use of air movers and dehumidification equipment. Wet building materials release moister into the air via evaporation that can lead to mold growth and secondary water-damage if not removed from the air. Air movers assist in air circulation which speeds up the drying process and dehumidification equipment works to draw out the excess moister in the air.
What steps can you take to mitigate the loss?
- Keeping the indoor temperature below 70°c
- Turn off electricity to affected areas
- Contact a plumber if you cannot stop the flow of water
- Freeze paper items to stop deterioration
Blackmon Mooring & BMS CAT are experts at water damage cleanup in buildings and homes of all sizes no matter severity of the damage. Our professionals will assess the damage and plan an appropriate plan of action to put your property on track to the recovery. Contact us by calling 877-899-0676 to learn more about our water damage cleanup services.