Once a leakage or a flood occurs one should take care of the situation quickly and simply. It is a tedious action and one that you don't have to do yourself. Usually when you get help, like from a company, you get more done and in less time.
One, before entering to your house or business, make sure the property is structurally safe. If you are uncertain, call a professional to make the assessment as you understand the seriousness of the situation. Once certainty is assured walk in carefully. Do not take risk to walk in deep standing water, animals like reptiles and rodents might be taking shelter. They can be dangerous if irritated.
Daring should not be the right thing. Power is sometimes generated by water but, dangerous if they work together. So, cut down the power from the main circuit breaker panel to avoid electrocution. The gas supply should also be disconnected as well.
Wearing protective gear and watching out stray pets, gently remove all the materials which have been affected. Upholstery, fabrics and papers are most important things that you would like to restore after the water-damage. Once all things are out allow them to dry up.
Dry up the furniture by rubbing on it with dry cotton cloth and then relocating in dry warm area with good air circulation. Note the wood will crack if the environment is too hot or mold and mildew will cling on the furniture if the area is cold. Ascertain that the environment is in this case conducive.
Separating the papers gently allows them to dry using air drying and dehumidification or the best of all being freeze drying. But choose the best method to restore valuable documents first. To remove the stale smell emitted by the papers make sure there is good air circulation.
Put clothes and fabrics in clean water, and gently remove dirt and debris which may have accumulated. Then remove the water from the clothes.
It is frustrating when water damages your wall. It causes bulging, discoloration, sagging and even cracks. Mold, the undesired thing of all develops and can be hazardous to ones health. Remove any mold, replace the damaged parts and fix any crack on the wall then using a powered fan or a dehumidifier, let the air circulate.
Dangers are not over even when the water goes down, so it's of utmost importance to make sure an expert comes to do the final assessment. The expert should make sure there is no health or structural risk before you resume back.
Water is a gift of nature and much profitable to living creatures but can be extremely harmful when uncontrolled.
Water Damage Restoration - What Is It?
It is the process of repairing a house or property to its pre loss condition. Damage to the property could be because of an overflow, flood or any other water damage event. The water damage restoration process involves several key procedures like loss assessment, categorization based on the water contamination levels, decontaminating and drying the structure, monitoring of the process and completion of the process. There are two large certifying bodies, namely the IICRC (Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification) and the RIA (Restoration Industry Association) that recommends standards for water damage restoration. The S500 damage due to water guide is the benchmark tool that is used by companies that specialize in restoration of water damage.
Loss Assessment and Categorization
Loss evaluation is the first and the most important step in water damage restoration. The assessment has to be correct so that an appropriate response can be taken. In restorating the damage caused by water, technicians and the insurance companies must work together and understand what is damaged and how to go about restoring the damage. Identifying the source of the damage, documentation of damage, and accurate estimates are mandatory for a proper water damage restoration. Categorization is based on the contamination levels of the water source. The categories are listed below
Category 1 - This is water from clean sources like pipes, sinks and toilets without faeces or urine.
Category 2 - This is water that has some contaminants like water from a dishwasher, washing machine or toilet with urine.
Category 3 - This is water that is highly unsanitary and is capable of causing illness or death if ingested. Sewage water, water from toilet with faeces, standing water with microbial growth and floodwater are some examples.
Decontamination and Drying
After the evaluation is complete, the process of drying and decontaminating begins at the site. Based on the extent of damage, damage caused due to water can be classified into 4 types. Class 1 Damage- When loss is restricted to a small area and less water has been absorbed by materials. This results in slow evaporation rate. Class 2 Damage - When the damage is to the entire room and carpet area. Class 3 Damage - When the entire area is saturated with water and Class 4 Damage - when there are many deep saturation pockets. Decontamination and drying is a key stage in Water damage restoration and equipments like blowers, dehumidifiers, scrubbers and subfloor drying equipments have to be used. Decontamination has to be done if contamination has been detected in the area. Decontamination may be done for the entire area or in specific pockets where contamination has been detected.
Monitoring and Completion
Monitoring the restoration process of damage caused due to damage is critical to achieve the water mitigation huntington desired results. One has to be proactive during the monitoring process. Checking if the drying equipment is setup properly, assessing if the personnel involved are qualified for the job and checking if the equipments are in working order are all part of the monitoring process. Necessary steps are to be taken if anything wrong is spotted during the monitoring process. The entire process of water damage restoration would be classified as complete only once the humidity, temperature and the moisture content is as per industry standards. Upon completion of the water damage restoration process, the drying equipment can be removed.