Mid Rivers Newsmagazine 6-7-17

18 I DÉCOR & LIFESTYLES I
June 7, 2017
MID RIVERS NEWSMAGAZINE
@MIDRIVERSNEWS
MIDRIVERSNEWSMAGAZINE.COM
Tackling water damage at home
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By KATIE WARD BEIM-ESCHE
Water wreaks havoc on a house, whether
from burst pipes during winter, leaking
pipes year-round or flooding during
warmer months. In fact, water damage is
the second most common insurance claim,
according to Zillow. So when water creeps
in, what can you do?
Act fast to minimize the damage, but
assess the situation with extreme caution.
Do not step into standing water, as it
might be electrocuted or rife with bacteria,
depending on the situation.
If the issue is malfunctioning pipes,
turn off your home’s water shut-off valve
immediately.
Next, call your insurance agent and
document the damage with photos and/or
video. Save precious items if you can by
boosting furniture on blocks or pallets and
removing art from waterlogged walls.
To prevent mildew damage on wet books,
pop them in the freezer while you tackle
bigger problems; they can be thawed and
air-dried later. Store them spine-down so
pages don’t tear out of their covers.
For more, check out these strategies
from HomeAdvisor.
• • •
Water damage restoration is one of the
most rapidly growing and evolving industries
in the country. What used to consist
of a contractor setting up a few fans in
a flooded basement has now become a
bonafide science, largely in part to the
greater understanding of the serious negative
health repercussions that can be caused
by mold, mildew and bacteria growth, and
the better technologies available to tackle a
water restoration job.
Priority #1 – Dry the Place Out
Without question, the most important
step a homeowner needs to take when
faced with flood or other water damage
is to waste no time in drying the area out.
As has already been mentioned, the old
standby of setting up all of your house fans
to dry out a flooded basement or structure
really isn’t very effective in the long run.
It may do a satisfactory job on the surface,
but deeper water damage to walls, wood,
carpet and furniture, along with insufficient
drying, can lead to more serious
consequences such as mold and mildew
growth, the flourishing of harmful bacteria
and, in extreme conditions, actual damage
to the structural integrity of the home itself.
In order to combat all these harmful possibilities,
the best thing you can do is to
call in a licensed water damage restoration
specialist to tackle the job. These professionals
are well-schooled in all the latest
methods of water damage restoration and
they have access to the most cutting-edge
technology available to dry out your home
and prevent harmful fungi and bacteria
from getting a foothold.
What to Expect
With any restoration project, expect a
full-on assault on your affected area from
the get-go. A good restoration specialist
will set up dehumidifiers, air purifiers,
blowers, fans and special floor driers and
cleaners to quickly and efficiently dry
out your water-damaged home. Besides
these standard steps, and depending on
the extent of the damage, your technician
might also employ the use of wall driers,
sanitizers, and mold and mildew remediation
techniques and equipment to ensure
that what is already a bad situation doesn’t
get worse over time. The water damage
restoration cost is far less than what permanent
damage results in.
Mold is best addressed quickly by a
remediation specialist. [Shutterstock.com]
In the Long Run
The full extent of the steps that need to
be taken could be much greater, however.
Depending on the amount of water that
caused the damage and the duration of time
that passed before a restoration crew was
called in, you may be looking at a much
larger project. Crawl spaces, ductwork,
ceilings and insulation may also need to be
attended to, and if there is severe damage
to drywall, carpet or structural aspects of
your home, you may be looking at a larger
home renovation project altogether. If this
is the case, contact a general contractor
after your restoration work is done in order
to get your house back in working order as
quickly as possible.
Please Advise
Water damage is not a problem where
you want to cut corners or wait to address.
Tackle these homeowner nightmares by
calling a water damage restoration company
immediately in order to ensure that
neither the structure of your home or the
health of your family is compromised. With
the help of a qualified specialist, you’ll fast
be on track towards restoring your home
back to its original condition.