After detecting damage to your home due to water, either through a slow leak that has gone unchecked for years or storm or flood damage, a recommended course of action is to call in the professionals such as a fire and water damage restoration firm. Their specialty is cleaning up after water damage and will prove invaluable in organizing the best course of action to take as well as carrying out necessary repairs.
But there are steps you can take while waiting for water damage restoration experts to arrive that could save some of your valuable belongings. Listed below are 5 simple tasks to undertake while awaiting their arrival and will speed up the restoration process.
1. Circulate the air with fans by opening windows - your number one enemy is going to be the mold and mildew that will begin to grow and damage everything beyond repair. The longer the room is damp the more opportunity mold and mildew will have to grow.
2. Remove whatever rugs and floor coverings you can - a lot of moisture will be retained in carpets and rugs and the drying process will be most effective if they are hung up and aired.
3. Place furniture legs on blocks of wood - if there is water on the floor you have to get the furniture up and out of it as soon as you can. The longer it sits in water, the more moisture that will be absorbed.
4. Remove wet fabrics - as with floor coverings, once fabric such as curtains, bedding and lounge coverings become wet they will add to the moisture content in the room so they've got to be taken outside.
5. Use a dehumidifier - if the weather is warm and a dehumidifier is available, running it with the windows closed will help tremendously in starting the drying process.
Once the water damage restoration experts take over they will be equipped with the tools and knowledge to properly restore your home. Taking these first steps will help make the restoration process happen as quickly as possible.
