Ways to Ensure Your Home Is Protected From Water Damage

11/25/2019 (Permalink)

You can call on the highly trained experts at SERVPRO of South Albany County, who are here to make it “Like it never even happened.”

Water damage is one of the most common and costliest disasters your home may experience. Anything from malfunctioning appliances like dishwashers or washing machines to a burst pipe or storm damage can be the cause of water damage in your home.

There are plenty of steps to take to protect your home from some trying common water damage scenarios that homeowners deal with.

Protecting Your Home

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

When looking for solutions and ways to protect your home from water damage, it can be helpful to break it down by areas of impact, such as basements, kitchens, bathrooms, flooring and ceilings.

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

Plumbing issues in the kitchen and bathroom are your usual main causes of water damage, as well as appliance failures.

Look at and check the following items:

• Inspect all appliances regularly, looking for any issues with hoses and faucets
• Check all seals and caulking around your showers and tubs to make sure there are no leaks
• Know where the main shut-off valve is in your home
• Never leave the house while the washing machine or dishwasher are running

While it’s not always possible to protect your personal possessions from water damage, there are things you can do to at least decrease the amount of destruction. Using waterproof bins and storing items up off of the floor is always recommended when using the basement or garage for storage purposes.

Where to Begin on Cleanup

If you have suffered water damage to your home, there is a good chance you can salvage items that can be dried out within 48 hours.

The first step is to contact your insurance provider immediately and evaluate the extent of damage to your home and possessions as well as identify the type of water that is involved.

There are three types of water that cause damage:

1. “Clean” water such as from rain, condensation, leaky pipes, etc.

2. Gray water like dirty water from dishwashers, washing machines, clean toilets, etc.

3. Black water, which would be water from sewage or serious flooding from nearby rivers, etc. This water can cause serious health problems.

Following a water damage disaster, it is important to dry your home out and dehumidify the area, removing wet objects and disinfecting remaining materials as soon as is safely possible.

Here’s an interesting pro tip: You can freeze wet books, photos and papers in a frost-free freezer to give you some extra time. This prevents mold and mildew from developing, causing more deterioration. Once you are 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 on the highly trained experts at SERVPRO of South Albany County, who are here to make it “Like it never even happened.”