Steps to Follow to Remediate Water Damage
There are few disasters worse than water damage to your home. When you walk into your home and see water damage, your heart can fall. You could be immediately overwhelmed and not know what to do to fix this huge problem. If you follow the steps below, you can avoid long-term issues from the water damage.
Sometimes the water damage will sneak up on you and you will not even know that it is occurring until it is almost too late. Then you might have to deal with mold and mildew and other problems that can come up from hidden water damage. When this occurs you still have to have the issue remediated and ensure that all the water damage is fixed.
Demolition
Sometimes when the water damage is bad enough you will need demolition to be done. All the water will have to be removed before the demolition can begin. You will need to make sure that all the mold is removed and make sure that anything that is wet and can eventually grow mold is also removed. You need to make sure that you hire the right people to do the demolition because you do not want them to make any mistakes. You can contact https://aircareonline.com/water-damage-remediation-allentown-pa/ and they can help you the way you need. They have the equipment and the experience that you need to have the job done right.
Make sure that you get all the furniture that can be saved is removed from the wet areas. You need to make sure that it is dry, so you do not grow mold and mildew – if it is wet, throw it out. You need to make sure all the dirt is gone as well because it can also help mold to grow.
Get Rid of Mold Growth
You need to find a contractor that can kill the mold that will grow within twenty-four to forty-eight hours. The right contractor will use an antimicrobial to kill the mold before it gets started, and it can also prevent mold from growing in new spots. After the mold is gone another coat of antimicrobial should be applied to prevent any further mold growth.
There are ways that you can make sure that you are doing the right things while you are getting rid of the mold growth. You can do your research and find other ways and make sure that you are doing all the right steps. You can also hire a professional that can do it right the first time.
Testing for Moisture
Your water damage contractor will need to use dehumidifiers to help remove the water that is in your home. Before all this equipment is removed, they should do a moisture test to see if any moisture remains. If there is still moisture in your home, it is a prime growing place for mold. By assuring that there is no more moisture, they are making sure that there will be no potential for future mold growth.
Sand Your Damaged Floor
Once you have everything dried out and there is no more moisture, it is time to sand all your wooden floors that were damaged by the water. If there were any boards that popped loose during the water damage, nail those boards back down. Look for concave or convex boards and replace them if they need to be replaced.
Check Your Ceilings
Check your ceilings next, there can also be damage there. Make sure that your ceiling is not sagging and falling in places. Water can do damage that you do not initially see, so check those places that you do not think have been damaged.
Replace Laminate Floors
Laminate floors may look like wood floors, but they do not act like them once they are wet. Laminate floors will hold in the water and swell and will not be able to be used anymore. It will be time to replace all your laminate floors to make sure that you do not have another place for mold to grow.
Replace Drywall
You will need to replace any damaged drywall if it is wet above three eighths of an inch from the bottom of the board. If it is dry all the way, then you do not have to replace the drywall. This is another place that mold can grow so you must be careful that there is nothing left that is wet. You can also just replace all the drywall so that you do not have anything to worry about.
Install Water Detection Device
After cleaning up everything and fixing everything that needs fixed, you may want to add a water detection device. You do not want your home to have water damage again, and this device can help you to detect the smallest leaks. You might want to place one wherever you may have a water leak in the future – the washing machine, toilet, dishwasher, and other items that may leak. This will save you money in the long run and prevent any chance of mold growing in your home. To get a list of pros and cons of adding a water detection device you can check out this site. This site can help you out and you can decide if it is a good idea for your home.
Conclusion
There are things that you must do to make sure that your home is safe once you have water damage. You can follow the steps above, but it is even better to call a professional that can remediate all the damage for you. If you hire a professional you can make sure that it is done correctly and if it is not done just right, you can call them back to fix them.bestnewshunt
After you have done all the remediation, you might want to add the leak detection devices to make sure that you do not have water damage again in the future. This can help you to avoid all this extra work and heartbreak.