We are all aware of things that cause water damage in the home: flooding, backed-up sewers, and rainfall, just to name a few. Enough water can cause severe damage to anything it comes into contact with. Knowing what to do after water damage can help keep your home and family safe.
Standing Water
If there is any standing water left after your water disaster, you will want to clean it up immediately. Depending on the amount of standing water, you may want to either clean it up yourself or call in a disaster clean up company to do it for you.
There are many implications that can occur if you are not diligent in cleaning up this excess water. Implications include:
- Mildew
- Mold Growth
- Rotting
- Rust
- Staining
All of these can be avoided by properly cleaning up water in your home after water damage.
How to Clean up Standing Water
First access the amount of water that you will need to clean up. Small amounts of standing water can easily be mopped up with a mop or towels.
Larger amounts of water will require special tools such as a sump pump or shop vac. If you do not own either of these tools, consider asking a neighbor to borrow theirs. These tools can also be rented from local stores in your area.
Once the Standing Water is Gone
Now that all of the standing water is gone, you will need to start properly drying out the area. Open the windows in your home to let the moisture evaporate. Opening your windows is key, failing to do this traps the moisture inside your home.Turning up the heat in your home as well as putting fans in the affected area will also help the drying process.
Carpets and carpet pads will probably need to be pulled up to dry properly as well. Doing this will help prevent mold and mildew growth between your carpet and the floor.
After Your Home is Completely Dry
Once the area in your home is completely dry, you will need to check for any indications that there is still water, or that something has been damaged. This is the time where you need to check for mold growth.
Mold growth is probably the most hazardous effect from water damage. Mold, depending on the type, can be harmful to the health of your family and can possibly make you all sick. There are many side effects from mold exposure, including:
- Sneezing
- Coughing
- Runny Nose
- Rash
- Eye Irritation
Stopping the growth of mold, or cleaning it up once it is found is essential to keeping your family healthy.
If you are unsure that your home is completely dry, or you may suspect mold in hard to find areas of your home, you may want to consider hiring a professional to come and check out the safety of your home.
Chanelle Furner is a professional writer and enjoys writing for the industry. She understands and knows that fast water damage cleanup is essential to stopping the growth of mold in your home.
