Dos and Don’ts of Flood and Water Damage Restoration
Flood damage Adelaideis a significant problem that can pose a danger to your home or business. There are various forms of water damage, from the slow accumulation of moisture from leaking pipes to overt flooding due to natural disasters. Regardless of how it occurs, swift action after water exposure and clean-up is important to avoid lasting consequences such as mold and mildew.
The first 24 hours after the Flood damage Adelaideoccurs are critical to minimizing the impacts of moisture and getting your books, files and other stored items back into shape or dry again. We advise that you clean them yourself as soon as possible, allowing the materials time to dry out fully overnight before taking further action. At this point you can call a professionalWater Extraction Adelaide for further help.
Please keep in mind that some items we advise you to avoid cleaning yourself can be cleaned by a professional with the latest equipment. Ask us questions about what is best suited to your needs and budget.
What not to do after water damages:
- Do not turn on or use any electrical appliances that have been exposed to water.
- Do not use your home builder’s insurance as a source of quotes.
- Do not wait for the problem to get worse (read on for more about why this is bad).
What to do after water damages:
- Find and repair leaking taps, toilets or pipes in order to avoid further damage to your property.
- Replace wet carpets or other items that cannot be cleaned or dried within 24 hours.
- Remove furniture from rooms that are flooded. Furniture will absorb moisture longer than anything else you own, making it harder to remove later, especially if the furniture is dropped off at our warehouse which has no power supply for upfitting before transport.
Why cleaning yourself can be bad:
Your regular vacuum cleaner will not be able to extract water from fabrics and carpets. Water can seep deeper into the fibers, increasing drying time and a greater chance of a secondary problem developing such as mold growth or corrosion in electronic devices.
- Gently dry most items but do not use high heat appliances such as hair dryers or ovens to speed up the process; this can cause further damage to materials like leather, rubber, silk etc.
- Do not place any books with covers made of cloth or paper near direct heat sources (fireplaces, radiators etc), as this may lead to permanent damage.
- Leather books turn stiff when wet; shape them while they are still slightly damp before letting them dry completely. Leather tends to contract as it dries so you can leave them flat or prop them up against a wall or other object to maintain the shape.
- Ensure that all fabrics are dried within 24 hours of damage, as mold and mildew growth is likely if they remain wet for too long.
- Keep affected items in separate boxes/items, to allow quick assessment of what was damaged and needs further attention. This also helps prevent secondary problems such as mold, which flourish under humid conditions away from daylight and fresh air circulation.
- Remove excess moisture by putting the items on top of sheets made from multiple layers of paper towels; make sure they are spread out enough not to stick together as this makes it harder for the items to dry out.
- Ensure that the items are stacked under something heavy, like a table or mattress to prevent them from flying away in strong breezes. This also serves to keep paper towels in place, instead of blowing away with the wind which could lead paper towel particles getting into crevices even more difficult to clean again.
If your phone was exposed to water, allow it 24 hours before doing anything else to let any residual moisture evaporate first, as this minimizes water extraction and helps avoid further damage via electrical shorts. Do not turn on the phone immediately after exposure either; let it dry first then switch on later after 24 hours if safe enough to do so. Turn off the power completely before vacuuming other items to avoid electrical shorts.
For items with batteries, take the batteries out after water exposure and replace them only when the item has dried fully. Ensure that you hire a professional cleaning company that specializes in water damage restoration Adelaideor structural dry outs if your home is flooded. Most companies are insured for this purpose but it never hurts to get confirmation of this before they start working at your property.
After consulting one of our professionals about the above simple steps, ask them any remaining questions you have about what happens afterwards. If your insurance company recommends Water Damage Restoration Adelaidecontractors or specific service providers, make sure to check their credentials by asking for references from previous customers who could attest to their workmanship and service standards.
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