How To Recover From Water Damage

5 min read

It’s not uncommon for homeowners to experience water damage as it can arise from various events. And whether it’s a plumbing emergency, appliance breakdown, or a natural disaster like a hurricane or flood, it can introduce severe problems that can make anyone feel helpless and hopeless.

Seeing your home still under water and incurring significant losses after a water damage disaster can leave you feeling overwhelmed. But take heart; it’s still possible for you to restore your home and recover your belongings.

The first and most important thing to remember to achieve successful water damage restoration in San Antonio North is this:

Seek Professional Help As Early as Possible

You are free to perform water restoration by yourself if you can and are willing to handle the messy and laborious job of cleaning up your place. However, it’s worth remembering that poorly done water removal and restoration exposes your property to further structural issues, mold risks, and health hazards.

If you’ve experienced a major plumbing breakdown or a widespread flood, enlisting professional water damage restoration in San Antonio North is your best bet. Calling certified experts to work on your home assures you that you can return to a safe, solid, and mold-free structure.

Of course, there are also things you can do to prevent further water damage while you wait for responders to arrive, like the following:

Ensure Your Safety

There are several ways for you to ensure the safety of yourself and your family while waiting for your restoration professionals.

• Shut off the house’s electrical power or the circuit breakers near the leak, especially if there’s still standing water inside your home.
• If you can’t reach your electrical panel safely, call a licensed electrician for help.
• Unplug all electronic devices once it’s safe to do so.
• Never wade through a flooded floor without wearing sturdy boots or other protective clothing.
• Dispose of any affected food right away to prevent food poisoning.

Document the Situation and Call Your Insurer

Get in touch with your homeowner’s insurance provider within 24 hours after the water damage to report the fact. Your insurer may provide you with a representative and a claims adjuster who will answer your questions, evaluate the damages you have documented, and guide you on how to move forward with your claim.

To ensure a smoother claims settlement, it’s best to take photos of all the water damage in your home before, during, and after the cleanup.

Remove Standing Water and Dry Your House

Removing standing water is critical in recovering from home water damage, and it must be done as soon as possible.

If the water comes from a burst pipe or a faulty appliance, the leak must be repaired immediately to keep the damage from worsening. You can use your home’s main shut-off valve to keep more water from coming in while you wait for your plumber.

If you’re dealing with floodwater, you can use buckets to start manually removing standing water. There’s also the option of using wet/dry shop vacs or an electronic pump to get the job done faster.

Once the water is out, open your windows and doors to let fresh air in. And if it’s safe to use electricity, use fans to blow damp air outside. You may also use your heating system to warm up the house if it’s still usable.

Doing what you can to kickstart the drying process goes a long way in protecting your structure and preventing mold.

Segregate Affected Items

All items affected by water must be taken out of the house and into a safe and dry place for segregation.

Most of the time, electronics, food products, paper products, and carpeting can no longer be salvaged after a flooding event. And while it can be heartbreaking to let go of them (especially if they hold sentimental value), it’s best to dispose of them as soon as possible to prevent microbial growth.

On the brighter side, your water remediation and restoration experts will most likely be able to help you save upholstered furniture and other salvageable items.

Let Your Water Restoration Team Take Care of the Rest

Once you’ve done these initial steps to recover from home water damage, you can now sit back and focus on your family’s well-being while the experts get to work.

Contractors with extensive experience in water damage restoration in San Antonio North will know the best and safest methods to bring back the beauty of your property. They use professional tools to remove your flooring, drywall, and insulation and eliminate lingering moisture inside. Moreover, they perform thorough cleanup and decontamination to ensure your home is safe and healthy again.

Water damage can quickly wreak havoc on any property, but acting fast and following the steps above can lead you to swift and successful water restoration.

If you have water in your home, please do not wait to contact the experts at Restoration 1. Our rapid response for water damage restoration in San Antonio North ensures you can get things dry and get your life back to normal in no time. Call us today and we’ll be right there to help.