How Serious is Water Damage?

If you recently experienced a flood, you may be asking, “How serious is water damage?” And the answer is pretty serious. In fact, water damage can lead to a big mold problem in as little as 24 hours. 

The good news is that there are steps you can take to combat or mitigate your risk of water damage. The bad news is that sometimes, water damage is simply out of your control. 

Regardless of what caused it, you can turn to a water damage restoration company for help. A water damage restoration professional knows how to treat this kind of damage. Keep reading to learn more. 

Most Common Types of Water Damage

Water damage is any type of structural damage caused by water. Generally speaking, there are three types of water damage: 

• Floods
• Burst pipes
• Leaks

Here’s a breakdown of how each one occurs and why they’re serious enough to warrant a call to a professional. 

Floods

Floods are common in the Portland, OR area. This is because we have large bodies of water that can overflow with rainstorms. 

Remember, not all floods have to be these massive natural disasters. Sometimes all it takes is a slightly rising river. Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to prepare for a flood. They tend to come on quickly and end just as fast. 

What makes floods so dangerous, though, is not just how fast the water damage occurs, but what is in the water itself. Floodwater often contains toxins, chemicals, and human/animal waste. When this water gets inside your home, so does everything in it. 

This means that anything the water touches isn’t just wet but contaminated with harmful toxins and bacteria. As such, you require a professional to properly remove it and disinfect the area. 

Burst Pipes

Burst pipes are another common type of water damage. When pipes either get too old or clogged, the water pressure builds up until it explodes. This is what causes a burst pipe. 

While there are signs of a burst pipe, such as hissing noises and water backups, they may occur when you’re out of the house. In cases like this, who knows how long the water has been sitting? 

Like floods, burst pipes can release a lot of water quickly. They are most likely to occur in your bathroom, laundry room, and kitchen. However, they can occur anywhere you have pipes. The secret to avoiding burst pipes is making sure they’re properly insulated. Likewise, when the temperature dips to freezing or below, leave cabinet doors open if they have pipes behind them. The warm air will help fend off bursting. 

Leaks

Water leaks can refer to lots of different things. This includes overflowing sinks, tubs, and toilets. It also refers to malfunctioning washers and dishwashers. Likewise, it could also refer to ceiling leaks caused by rainstorms. However they’re caused, they can spell big trouble for your home. 

This is especially true if the water leak occurred in your attic. Unless you visit your attic every day, a leak here could be easy to miss. Before long, you may have a huge mold infestation on top of rotted wood. 

A good rule of thumb is to check your attic following a storm to ensure there isn’t any leakage. If there is, you’ll have two calls to make. The first will be to a water damage restoration crew. The second will be to a professional roof repair company. A roofing specialist can fix your shingles to avoid water leaks in the future. 

This isn’t an exhaustive list, but these are just a few of the most common types of water damage Portland homeowners face. If you recently experienced damage caused by a flood or burst pipe, don’t delay. Call the pros at PNW Restoration for a consultation. 

Don’t Battle Water Damage Alone. Call the Pros at PNW Restoration in Portland, OR!

Owning a home is a lot of work. And when your home suffers this type of damage, it can be a huge headache. The good news is that you don’t have to face the challenges of treating water damage yourself. 

Instead, you can call PNW Restoration in Portland, Oregon. We will remove water and disinfect the areas that have been affected. This includes bagging and discarding damaged items. All of our technicians have years of experience treating water damage. The same goes for mold. If you need us for restoration services, just let us know. We’ll be more than happy to help get your home back in good shape. 

Give the team at PNW Restoration a call today. We can be reached at (971) 247-3661. Did you wake up to a flood? Our staff is available 24/7 for emergencies.