There are numerous reasons for water damage to your property, for example, sewer line bursts, leaking pipes, and natural catastrophes. Finding the source of water damage to your residential or commercial property can be extremely difficult. You can never totally solve an issue if you don’t identify its source.
To avoid additional damage in such circumstances, it’s crucial to identify the root cause and act immediately. Thankfully, you can do some water damage restoration by yourself if you have the proper expertise and equipment. This guide will assist you in conducting a DIY repair properly.
DIY Water Damage Restoration
If you decide you are qualified and equipped to handle the water damage by yourself, listed here are some actions to assist you through the restoration process.
Prioritize Your Safety
You have to ensure the safety of yourself and others before starting any task. Make sure you have the necessary tools and safety gear. Even if you believe the water is safe, it’s best to be careful and ready for the worst. Also, make sure the power is out.
Find the Source
The best way to stop additional water damage is to deal with the problem at its source. Otherwise, the source may end up creating even more damage. Before you can resolve the bigger water damage issue, you need to fix the source. You must identify the source of your water damage, whether a ruptured washing machine hose or a leaking pipe in the plumbing system. Before you start cleaning and restoring, ensure all needed repairs have been made.
If you discover any mold and mildew growth, it can assist in identifying where the damage started. There are health concerns that come with mold and mildew development. Therefore, if you see mold, you must seek the assistance of a mold remediation specialist. The same can be said if you cannot find the water source.
Remove Excess Water and Moisture
Elimination of standing water is needed to prevent more damage to your home. Wet vacuums are useful for removing smaller amounts of water; however, you may need a water pump for larger amounts.
You must act quickly to extract the water if your basement is flooded. In this case, it is recommended to eliminate one-third of the water daily. Water removal minimizes interior pressure. Pressure loss can cause collapsing walls and buckling floors. If you don’t have a wet vacuum or a water pump, seek professional water damage restoration services with the necessary tools.
Start the Drying Process
When there is no longer excess water, dry out the area by installing fans in different spots and opening windows. Utilize some powerful dehumidifiers and regularly empty the collection receptacles. Drying out sheetrock, rugs, and flooring takes at least three days.
It takes a lot of determination to deal with water damage. If the damage is substantial, you can rent a large dehumidifier to dry the area immediately. You can contact water mitigation services to quicken the drying process.
Clean and Disinfect
After everything has dried, an extensive cleansing is needed to eliminate dirt, reduce discolorations, and handle contamination. You can use a homemade bleach and water solution on hard surfaces; however, cleaning up sheetrock and wallboard requires specially formulated products.
Clean and disinfect anything affected by the water and anything that came into contact with the water for everybody’s safety. Everything that is seriously damaged must be disposed of and replaced. To guarantee that everything has been cleaned and disinfected, you need to have a professional water damage restoration company examine the place.
Final Thoughts
Water damage is a severe issue that you should fix immediately. You should never avoid this procedure because it can trigger different types of damage to your home. Water damage can sometimes be difficult to repair by yourself and require a professional’s services. People are sometimes reluctant or unable to deal with water damage restorations on their own. If do-it-yourself techniques do not work, work with a professional water damage repair company to deal with your home or business.
