It is a terrible thing to not have your water damage incident after severe flooding or water damage in your home. Broken pipes, leaking appliances or more serious problems like sewer backups, flooding basements or water damage from a fire can all lead to major problems. Water damage repair is a time-consuming task. Even with small amounts of water, mold can develop in just 24 hours. Water damage can also cause structural and safety problems, which you might not notice until it is too late. 

Stopping any leaks, no matter what the source, is the first priority. After you have stopped the leak from causing further damage, call a professional like 911 Restoration of New Orleans to begin water damage restoration steps to restore your home to normal following a flood. We’re available 24/7/365 and our team can reach homes and businesses around Baton Rouge, Metairie, Hammond and the Laplace area within 45 minutes of an emergency call. Call us at (504) 457-7929 as soon as you need our support.

What Is Water Damage?

Before we move on to the steps for dealing with water damage , let’s first define what is water damage. Water damage is defined as water that damages the interior of your house. Water damage can result from a variety of factors, including:

• A frozen pipe that bursts, saturating your walls/ceilings
• Rainwater that seeps into your room can cause damage to your ceiling and walls.
• A leaking toilet or sink that soaks your bathroom floors
• Appliances that leak, such as a dishwasher, can be dangerous.
• Sewage Damage

Let’s now understand what water damage is and how to deal with it.

7 Steps You Can Take To Recover From Water Damage In Your Home

1. Call Your Insurance Company

Depending on which policies you have, your homeowners insurance policy will differ. An adjuster will be sent by the insurance company to assess and assess the damage and determine whether it is covered. Take as many photos of the damage as you can before, during and after it is cleaned up as you can. This will be helpful to the adjuster when they are able to assess the damage. Flood damage is not covered by all home insurance policies.

2. Protecting Yourself, Appliances, And Valuables

In any major disaster such as flooding or water damage, the most important thing is to ensure your safety and that of your family. You can do several things to ensure safety in your home.

Turn off power

Water and electricity are not compatible. If you have to turn off power and need to go into or stand in water, it is best to do so by calling an electrician. You should not enter a flood-damaged home again without turning off the electricity.

Wear Protective Gear

When you enter your home, make sure you have gloves and rubber boots. You will be protected from any injuries caused by bacteria-filled water.

Protect your Valuables

To prevent staining, you can remove wood furniture from the wet carpet and place tin foil underneath the feet. Remove any rugs from wet flooring. If the flooding becomes severe enough, you may have to evacuate your home. To begin dealing with the aftermath, make sure your home is safe. Avoid driving through flood-prone areas.

3. Start Water Damage Repair Immediately

Be sure to take photos of all damage before you begin the water damage restoration process in a flooded house. This will assist with any future insurance claims.

Water damage restoration should be started within 24-48 hours of you being cleared to return to your home. Many times, the damage is too severe for one person or a family. To avoid any potential damage, hire a restoration company like 911 Restoration of New Orleans to help you stay safe and make sure the water removal process goes smoothly. To prevent mold and mildew growth in your home, you might need to remove flooring, and drywall. You may need to dry out or clean your furniture depending on how much water damage has occurred. Water and moisture can quickly damage hardware flooring , so it is important to get this done as soon as you can.

4. How To Dry Out Water Damage And Remove Humidity

Protective gear is recommended for anyone who decides to dry the process by themselves. You can salvage what you can and toss anything that is unsafe or too damaged. If there is a lot of water standing, you can use plastic tubs or buckets to remove it. Next, use a mop or bucket to remove any water that is difficult to reach. To finish the job, rent a wet dry vacuum at your local hardware store or grocery store. Let the area dry completely and ventilate. This process can be speeded up by using a dehumidifier. You can use the vacuum as a wet-dry vacuum if there isn’t too much water.

After you have removed all standing water from your home, you still need to take care of damp items, especially if you live near a humid environment. Central air conditioning can be used to remove humidity if you are able get electricity back on. You can dry damp areas in your home with floor fans like dehumidifiers and Air Movers. Avoid molds and mildew. 911 Restoration of New Orleans may be able to help you ensure your home is dry. Studies show that drying your home in the first 24 hours is crucial and that drying it completely within three to four days is sufficient to eliminate the risk of mold growth.

5. How To Identify Mold

After a flood, mold can develop and can become difficult to remove. Mold development is less likely if items are removed from water quickly and dried promptly. It’s possible to have the entire area removed if it becomes severe. It is always better to be safe than sorry and get a professional to assess the situation for mold removal that could have developed.

Prevention of mold after water damage

It is important to immediately take steps to prevent mold growth from occurring in your home after you have discovered water damage. When drying out your home, make sure you don’t spread mold spores. Mold is often found in your basement , closet , and showers among other places. It is best to hire a professional to help with drying. This will significantly reduce the chance of mold growth.

6. How To Determine What Needs To Be Restored After Water Damage

It takes the most time to repair water damage to your home due to flooding. Broken possessions, such as flooring and walls, need to be repaired. Hire an expert if you need to do major construction! You can reach us at (504) 457-7929 no matter the time of day.

7. When To Move Back Into Your Home

Once you have the go ahead from your insurance company, your restoration/construction company, and your local government(in the case of natural disasters), it’s time to move back into your clean, dry, mold-free home!

How Do You Tell If Water Damage Is New Or Old?

Although it is impossible to tell how long water damage has been occurring, there are ways to identify if water damage is recent. New water damage is typically one dark spot with no rings. The surface of the water will feel firm but wet. This is because the water damage that has occurred recently has not had time for it to cause any structural damage. Water damage older than 10 years will give the surface a more soft, squishy feel. The area will likely have water rings from old water damage. The more rings the longer the water damage has been. You will notice mold or decay around the spot if there has been enough water damage to cause the damage.

What Is The Time It Takes To Dry Out Water Damage?

Water damage repair takes time depending on how long it takes for affected material to dry out and the extent of the damage. It will take less time to dry a single room or two rooms, and another 2-3 weeks to repair the damage. You might be dealing with a burst pipe or worse, a flooded basement. No matter how severe the damage, it is imperative that you immediately begin the water restoration process. Water quickly spreads and can get into your floors, walls, furniture, and other areas of your home.

A sump pumps are another way to drain water from your house. Sump pumps are used to drain water from crawl spaces or basements. The sump pump connects to a drain pipe that runs outside the home. The sump pump activates when the water level reaches the sump pit’s bottom.