The first thing to do when faced with damage from water is to contact your insurance company. You should document with pictures and video, and you should make sure to have flood insurance since the typical homeowner’s policy doesn’t cover water damage. Water damage restoration can be done by yourself or by an expert. Depending on the type and severity, you might want to contact a water and mold specialist since they have access to tools that can measure for mold and residual moisture.
Before doing any water damage restoration, shut the electric off at the breaker box and also unplug any electrical devices. Electric and water don’t mix well, so it’s a good idea to stand on a dry surface, and as a quick tip, don’t place newspaper on wet carpet as it will stain.
If items such as furniture are still dry, wrap the legs in aluminum foil to protect from contact with water. If possible, move the items to higher ground for better protection. For wet things like fabrics, you have to wash them first and then put them into the air circulation until dry.
Planning for unforeseen weather is difficult at best, and if faced with a flood from an overflowing river, for example, then all you can do is try to protect your property until the water subsides. Don’t assume anything when dealing with plumbing and water lines and water mains. Make it a routine to check for pipe leaks, roof leaks, sewer, and toilet backups. A small crack in a water pipe can put out 250 gallons of water in twenty hours.
Some disturbing facts to consider are that 93% of the water leaks, as mentioned above, can be prevented and caused $9.1 billion in damage in the years 2007 to 2009 and …
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