What to Expect After Water Damage: 8 things You Need To Know

A water damage issue can be a disaster for any homeowner. It is important to understand the process of what happens after you have this kind of problem in your home and how it should affect you, as well as understanding what steps you need to take to minimize the damages. If you are looking for ways to make sure that your process goes smoothly, then this article will help!

Water is an amazing and powerful resource, but when it comes to your home or office it can be a disaster. One of the most common problems that we see in cases of water damage is mold. Mold thrives on anything wet, so once you have removed all of the standing water you need to take measures to dry out any other areas that are affected to prevent mold growth. In this blog post I will give you my best tips for how to handle your situation and what should happen next if you think there is mold present.

Why is water damage so bad?

Water damage is so bad because it can cause all sorts of problems. From mold to electrical issues like short circuits, water and electricity just don’t mix well at all. It’s not always possible for homeowners to know where the source of water came from, but if you can pinpoint when the leak started then that would help a restoration company determine the approach they should take to get the water up and out. You will hear us mention this a few times, but the water should be cleaned up as soon as possible. Mold growth usually starts within 24 hours to 48 hours from the time of exposure.

What should you not do after water damage?

One of the mistakes people often make after water damage is not letting their home dry out completely. While it may be tempting to jump into cleanup mode, you need to leave the space so that air can circulate and soak up all of the moisture. If there are any wet areas left, then mold will start growing on them which could lead to a very dangerous situation if left unchecked. You can try to dry out your home by yourself, but it is generally better to hire a professional who will have the equipment to dry your home out and do it more efficiently.

One thing we see a lot in facebook groups with posts dealing with water damage is people suggesting using bleach to clean up mold after long standing water damage has been found.

The problem with this is that a bleach solution doesn’t kill mold spores, it just hides the color of them. So if you use bleach and then later there’s a water leak in your home or some other kind of water damage issue, the mold will merely grow again because those spores are still lurking around.

What should you do after water damage?

Most people think that they should call their insurance company first, but that is not the case. The first thing you need to do after water damage is get a professional restoration company out to your house so they can start assessing the damages and figuring out how long it will take them to put everything back together again. This process should be relatively quick as opposed to going through insurance where there will be several people involved in the process. Most reputable restoration companies will help you work with your insurance company to handle any claims and they will deal with the insurance company directly.

Water Damage Restoration companies usually have 24/hr emergency service so that they can get out there as soon as possible when a call comes in about water damages. Remember, the faster you start the water extraction/mitigation process, the less likely mold will form. This can be very important to the health and safety of your family and anyone else who comes to visit your home.

How long does it take to repair water damage?

This is a bit of a tricky question, and the answer is going to depend on a few factors. It will take time for water damage repair because there will be drying out, removing of any water from items or materials that can’t dry by themselves, and assessing what needs to be replaced due to mold growth. The more water damaged an area is, the longer it’ll take to fix up. Also, the longer the water is sitting there the more the water damage will cause structural damage. This can end up costing more money and increasing the restoration process timeline.

Does water damage get worse over time?

This is something very important to understand. Most poeple try to clean up water damage immediately because they don’t want it to get worse. It’s not uncommon for a homeowner to think that water damage is the worst and then go back into their house just to find out there are multiple hidden areas of water damage, often in hard-to-reach places like behind a wall or under the floorboards. One of the reasons water damage professionals use tools like infared cameras is because they can see water in places that the human eye cannot.

The longer you wait to get a water damage professional involved, it will only cause additional damage. If your home has been flooded with any amount of water, call for help as soon as possible.

How can you tell if water damage is bad?

If the structure of an affected area is falling apart or extremely soft, it can be a sign that water damage is bad. You’ll also want to get an expert opinion if standing water has come into contact with things like carpeting or wood floors after the flooding event. In general it is really difficult for someone who does not deal with water damage a lot to fully assess water damage.

If you suspect that your home has been damaged by flooding, it is important to contact a professional as soon as possible. If the structure of an affected area is falling apart or extremely soft, it can be a sign that water damage is bad.

What happens when water gets in your walls?

When a burst pipe in your walls, water will enter the drywall, insulation and framing. This can cause serious issues with mold growth if left untreated for too long.

Significant water damage may have caused structural changes to your home that you weren’t previously aware of, meaning there could be hidden dangers present like electric cables or plumbing lines being damaged in places you don’t see on the surface.

On thing you must be aware of in situations like burst pipes in your walls is that if your insurance company determines that the issue was caused by a long-term water leak, then your insurance policy may not fully cover the expense of repairing your home.

The three types of water in water damage

Water damage can happen in many ways and it’s not always apparent which type of water is the culprit.

1. Clean water: (Category 1 Water) This is water that has been sitting for a day or two and it may have just damaged a few surfaces like carpeting, furniture and curtains.
2. Gray water: (Category 2 Water) This type of water comes from sources such as the washing machine, dishwasher or bathroom sink which means you’ll also be dealing with an unpleasant smell in addition to wet items on your floors.
   
3. Black Water: (Category 3 Water) This water usually comes from a burst pipe, sewage or natural disaster. It can be contaminated with harmful bacteria and toxins that need to be dealt with quickly by professionals. Black water should always be cleaned up using PPE such as rubber gloves, masks, etc.

It’s important to know what water damage can do to your home and how you should react. We hope that the tips in this blog post will help you deal with any future issues without issue. If you have questions or concerns, please contact us today!