How To Perform Water Damage Restoration Before Selling Your Home
Water damage is stressful and hard on homeowners. However, it’s possible to restore your home back to normal.
A home is a special place that holds a lot of memories. This is where you come back after a long day and experience a moment of peace. Certain situations may arise that’d make you want to move out of your home, and putting it on the market would be a good way to make some money. It’s important to carry out a proper inspection to make sure the house doesn’t have any issues that might discourage potential buyers. One of the issues that’s always found would be water damage.
Water damage can destroy the interior section of your house. And according to a water damage restoration company, there are a few factors responsible for it:
- A pipe bursting and leaking into your walls
- Rain leaking through your room, causing damage to your walls and ceiling
- Overflowing toilet, soaking your bathroom floors
- Sewage damage
- Flood
However, the damage can be undone by a restoration company. They’d help you determine the extent of the damage and help out with any safety measures in extreme cases. If you have insurance, it’s possible that your insurance policy covers any damage caused by nature. This will ease any financial burden incurred by the water damage. You can call an insurance claims adjuster to help you go over your insurance policy.
Considerations Before Water Damage Restoration
There are a few things to consider when you have water damage. This would help you determine if you can clean up yourself or hire a restoration company.
1. Water Volume
You can make a rough assumption about the water that has made its way into the house. If the amount is small, you can start the initial clean-up by scooping out the water. If there’s a significant amount that isn’t going away, it might be the best option to call a professional to minimize the damage that’ll be done.
2. Damage Source
Before anything else, you must first determine where the water comes from. There are different forms of water that flow and can cause damage, but the most common ones are as follows:
- Clean water. This doesn’t have harmful chemicals so you can handle this yourself.
- Grey water. Coming from your dishwasher, toilet, or washing machine, among others, this water may be contaminated. With proper safety precautions, you could clean this on your own.
- Black water. Black water brings the most harm that can make its way into your house. It flows through the sewer from a source of water nearby like a flowing river. It should be cleaned out as quickly as possible.
3. Damage Level
Assess the level of damage done by the water in the house. The homeowner can handle small damage that doesn’t involve any major repairs like a flooded basement. However, more significant damage can be hard to repair without the help of a trained professional. For instance, if flooding on an upper level has drained through the floor onto the ceiling, you’d require a professional to remove the damaged parts.
Immediate Steps To Take After Water Damage
Here are some measures to do after experiencing water damage:
1. Switch Off The Supply Of Power
Electricity and water don’t mix well together. Switch off the main circuit breaker to reduce the possibility of an electrical fire and prevent any damage to your appliances. But if turning it off would require you to stand or enter any wet areas, it’s best to call an electrician. Don’t make your way into a flooded home without turning off the electricity.
2. Protect Your Valuables
You can move your wood furniture off the wet carpet areas and place some dry makeshift rags under them to reduce the water. Likewise, remove any rugs that may be on the floor.
3. Wear Protective Equipment
Wear protective clothing like gloves and rubber boots when you enter the house. This would safeguard you from injuries and infections that can be caused by the bacteria-filled water.
4. Call Your Home Insurance Company
Depending on the type of policy you have, your insurance will cover certain costs incurred by the water damage. The insurance company will send someone to inspect the house, assess the damage, and determine what will be covered by your insurance policy.
5. Start Water Damage Repairs Immediately
Water damage restoration should begin within one to two days after you’ve re-entered your house. Get a professional service to make sure the process is done in a proper manner.
6. Try To Contain The Water
Shutting off the water supply or closing off doors would help limit the damage done to a particular section of the house.
7. Call A Professional For Your Water Damage Restoration
When taking on any restoration projects, it's important to properly analyze the situation before moving forward to avoid any harm to your body. Most situations might require you to call a restoration team, and this would ensure that the job is done properly and timely.
Conclusion
Water damage is stressful and hard on homeowners. However, it’s possible to restore your home back to normal. When taking on your own restoration, it’s important to properly assess the situation before making any decisions to avoid any hazards. Don’t hesitate to call a team if you feel overwhelmed. It’d save you the cost of having to redo the job.