5 Easy Steps to Take After Your Home Suffers Water Damage

Dealing with water damage in your home can be a headache, but it’s something you need to take care of. Leaving water damage unattended can cause serious issues, including the growth and spread of mold and structural damage. When there’s water damage in your home, what do you do? Where do you start? Today, we’re going to take a look at 5 easy steps to take after your home suffers water damage (including who to call for water damage repair in Portland).

Step 1: Give Your Insurance Company a Call

Depending on your policy, any damage that is caused by water might be covered by your insurance company. After you experience water damage in your home, give your insurance company a call. They’ll send an adjuster out to come and assess the damage to see what is covered by your policy. One thing you should do is take photos of everything before, during, and after the cleanup. Document the values of every item in the damaged area. This will help the adjuster assess the situation.

Step 2: Keep Yourself Protected

Water damage can not only damage your property; it can also hurt you in different ways if you’re not careful. There are a few things you need to take care of in order to protect yourself and your family.

• Wear protective gear when handling water damage – You should wear things like rubber boots and gloves when handling anything related to water damage. It not only keeps you safe in general, but it also protects you while handling mold.
• Shut down your power – If the area near your circuit breaker is safe, shut off your electricity. If you don’t, you may run the risk of being electrocuted or possibly causing further damage to your home. If the area doesn’t seem safe enough to approach, call an electrician who is trained to handle a situation like this.
• Remove Any Valuables – If they haven’t been water damaged already, get your valuables out of the way. They can become damaged or provide a place for mold to spread. Getting possessions to either a part of your home that isn’t water damaged or out of the home completely can help protect them.

Step 3: Start the Water Damage Repair Process

As previously mentioned, leaving water damage without trying to repair it can lead to a whole slew of issues with your home. That is why you call a company like PNW Restoration to come out and fix the damage. The process of fixing water damage takes a few different phases and is a time-consuming process.

First, any water-damaged items that can be removed from the affected area will be removed, including any damaged furniture and carpet. This helps minimize the amount of moisture in the area while also helping prevent further mold growth. Next is the dehumidifying process. This helps remove all moisture from the area and prevents water damage from getting more severe. Finally, any repairs that need to be done to the area can be performed.

Step 4: Remove Mold from the Area

While drying out the moisture and making repairs is important, another thing that needs to be handled is mold. Mold can start growing 24 to 48 hours after water damage occurs and can take 18 to 21 days to become visible. Mold spores can grow and spread through your home, causing a number of health issues ranging from coughing to serious respiratory issues. PNW Restoration can remove mold from your home using a special industry-standard cleaner. Mold can’t be removed with just bleach, and having professionals come in to remove mold can help keep you safe.

Step 5: Put Your Home Back Together

Once the restoration process is complete and mold has been removed, the process of putting your home back together starts. You need to assess whether there’s anything you need to hire a construction company to come in and fix, and you’ll want to see what other things need to be replaced, like furniture or other belongings.

If You Need Water Damage Repair, Call PNW Restoration Today

If you have water damage in your home, especially if it’s been caused by a burst pipe or flooding, call the experts at PNW Restoration. Our 24/7 emergency response team is available at all hours to assess your damage and make the necessary repairs. Our team of Portland experts will quickly assist you with any water emergency including flood, plumbing problems, and leaks. If you need water damage repair today, call us at 971-247-3470. When disaster strikes, we provide prompt and professional services that will help you when you need them most.