We have been helping homeowners deal with water damage for nearly two decades.
Today, we want to share some essential insights on water damage recovery, including:
- Why you need to act fast to minimize water damage.
- What to do immediately after discovering excess water.
- What to do while you are waiting for water damage restoration experts to arrive and what to expect once they show up.
This information can help you protect your home, your belongings, and your health!
Why You Need to Act FAST if You Want to Minimize Water Damage
Homeowners tend to underestimate the speed at which excess water can cause mold growth, destroy belongings, and do structural damage to the property.
The longer you wait, the more damage it’s going to cause and the more money you will have to spend on mold remediation, replacing your belongings, and fixing your property.
This applies not just to sudden water emergencies like a burst pipe or a flooded basement but also to seemingly minor issues, like a sink or a shower that leaks just a little bit.
In fact, these seemingly minor issues can end up causing serious problems. People often put off dealing with them without realizing that excess water from a small leak can do a lot of damage over time.
Not to mention, increased humidity is conducive to mold growth, which can wreck your health if you are sensitive to it!
That’s why it’s so important to act fast — if you notice excess water anywhere on your property, you need to address it immediately. Don’t let the situation get any worse!
What to do Immediately After Discovering Excess Water
Here’s what you should do immediately to minimize water damage:
- Identify the source of excess water. Where’s the leak?
- Either stop the water by shutting it off or contain its flow by placing a bucket below the leak. If you do the latter, make sure to regularly check the bucket and replace it with an empty one once it fills up.
- Remove excess water. A Shop-Vac or a self-wringing mop can make this much easier, but if you don’t have either of these, you can use towels and wring them out by hand.
Once you have taken these three steps, call a local water damage restoration company and ask them to send someone to your property.
What to do While You are Waiting for Water Damage Restoration Experts to Arrive
Once you have called water damage restoration experts, you can start drying out the affected area with towels.
You can also use floor fans to speed up the process — pointing them at wet surfaces will make moisture evaporate faster!
What to Expect Once Water Damage Restoration Experts Arrive on Your Property
Once water damage restoration experts arrive on your property, the first thing they are going to do is evaluate the situation.
They will start by examining the water source and determining whether the water is clean, contaminated, or grossly contaminated.
Once they understand what they are dealing with, they will create a water damage recovery plan.
Then, water damage restoration experts will extract standing water using water pumps and dry the affected area with specialized equipment.
After that, they will sanitize the affected area with anti-microbial chemicals to prevent mold growth. If mold has already started spreading, they are going to eliminate it.
Finally, if excess water has done structural damage to the building, they will help you restore your property to its original condition!
Is Water Damage Restoration Covered by Homeowners Insurance?
It all depends on your insurance policy.
We recommend calling your insurance provider while you are waiting for water damage restoration experts to arrive. See if you can file an insurance claim and get the process started if possible.
Once water damage restoration experts are done with their initial inspection, they will take over and communicate with your insurance company directly to make sure that you get the coverage that you are entitled to.
Looking for Water Damage Restoration Experts in Dallas, Texas?
We started out nearly 20 years ago as a regional disaster response unit.
Since then, Greenlight Restoration Solutions has grown into a full-service remodeling, remediation, and restoration company.
Water damage restoration is one of our areas of expertise. Whether you are dealing with a minor water event or a full-blown water emergency, we can help you get the situation under control and restore your property!
