How to Cope up with Water Damage?

How many of you have handled the unwanted water in your home? 80% of you will agree with us if we say that water damage restoration is something that many of us may need without even realizing it.

And, many of us don’t take it seriously until it gets dramatic. From leaking pipes to faulty appliances, it is vital to understand the possible water damage causes.

What Causes Water Damage?

It is necessary to learn about the things that can damage your home. So what are these common, often undetected, causes of water damage? Let’s have a look at the biggest culprits.

1. Leaking/Burst Pipes: It is one of the most popular reasons for water damage in homes. The reasons for this can be many such as unregulated water pressure, deterioration of old pipes, or temperature changes. Moreover, in winters, the uninsulated pipes can freeze, thus, causing pipes to burst.
2. Plumbing Issues: They are the hardest ones to detect since the hoses and pipes are hidden within the walls. You must be aware of dripping faucets, overflowing or leaking, and any other leaks around your tub and shower.
3. Clogged Gutters: If there is any blockage from debris such as leaves inside your gutters, they will not drain water properly. As a result, water flows over the gutters’ edges and runs down the side of your home. This can even cause water to seep into the home around the foundation.
4. Faulty Household Appliances: The most common appliances that cause water damage due to their cracked hoses or pipes within your home are washing machines and hot water tanks. Other appliances that may cause the same damage are refrigerators and dishwashers.
5. Toilet Overflows: Clogs in the main sewer lines or drain lines can prevent waste from flowing away, thus resulting in toilet overflow. This overflow is usually known as black (dirty) water.
6. Sewage Backups: Most of the time sewer systems are unable to handle the volume due to storms or heavy rains. Due to this, the main sewer lines prevent them from carrying wastewater away. This way, sewage can back up into your home through floor drains, toilets, and sinks. This is a dire situation that should be handled by water restoration specialists in order to avoid any further loss or health hazards.

These are some of the major causes of water damage. Hence, everyone should be aware of these causes and how to handle them.

Classification of Water:

Once you have understood the main causes of water damage, now, it is important to be aware of the three main types of water in order to understand the situation. Let’s know these types of water in detail:

1. Clean:

In some cases, there may be chances that the water infringed upon your home is “clean.” The clean water is described when a pipe burst; an appliance malfunctions, or if there is a leak in your roof that allows rainwater to enter your home. This is the easiest type of water damage to handle.

But, this doesn’t mean that you should ignore this type of water. If the water is not cleaned and dried properly, it can cause a great hazard.

This can result in fungus and mold growth. If the water has been standing in your home for over twenty-four hours, you should contact the water restoration company near you.

2. Gray: 

This type of water is slightly contaminated, either due to the nature of the source or if it is ignored. All in all, any type of water that has been used or in any way contaminated is hazardous and is considered gray water.

For example, clean water can become “gray” water if it is left untreated for a longer period of time.

When a toilet or washing machine overflows, the resulting water would be considered gray because of its source. It is always recommended to wear gloves in order to prevent your skin from touching the water, so you do not spread any microbes.

You should always keep the water damage restoration tips in your mind or can even contact the water damage service providers.

3. Black: 

It is the most hazardous of all. It is a result of natural disasters or sewage damage, containing toxic materials such as microbes, bacterial diseases, chemicals, pesticides, and more.

If your home has suffered from this type of damage, it is always advisable to let a professional begin the disinfecting process before you attempt to handle the damage on your own.

They have the proper water restoration equipment and can safely restore your home. You put yourself at risk if you are not careful with black water.

Always remember, “gray” and “black” water are not necessarily the colors of the water that you will see in your home. They are simply terms that denote the level of contamination. But there’s a huge difference between gray water and black water.

If you experience a flood from heavy rain, the water might look “clean.” But there may be contamination in water, including invisible microbes lurking in the water.

This is why it is best that you allow a professional water restoration service to assess and fix any water damage to your home and make sure that your home is properly restored.

How Do You Clean Up Water Damage?

Don’t take water damage cleanup process lightly. Even an inch or just damp of water becomes the perfect breeding ground for mold. Mold growth not only ruins walls, furniture, carpets, flooring, etc., but it can also lead to poor indoor air quality.

Related – Can Dirty Air Ducts Make You Sick?

Here are a few tips to consider while cleaning your home affected by water damage.

1. Disconnect the Power:

It is vital to understand that unplugging and removing electronics immediately is quite important. The faster you get items out of water’s way, the more likely you’ll be able to save them. Pull up any carpets and underpadding to save them from water damage.

2. Get Rid of the Water:

There are various ways to get rid of the water. From manual ways to using a dry vacuum, you can use these methods wisely in order to save yourself from water damage repair costs.

Keep in mind to not mix water and electricity. Getting rid of all the water and drying out the area is the most important thing you can do to prevent mold growth. You can also look for a mold removal company to help you out with the same.

3. Disinfect:

After drying out the area, use a good disinfectant to get rid of any bacteria that might have come up through sewers, toilets, etc. It is important to disinfect all areas affected by the floodwaters, including walls and wood furniture.

4. Dispose of Damaged Items Responsibly:

Many of us throw out everything into a dumpster and send it all away and out of sight. But if you organize damaged goods into piles and take what you can to recycling centers, you will help mitigate the pressure on your local landfill site.

The best thing to do is go to your city or town’s waste management website, find out where to recycle damaged electronics from cell phones to TVs and computers, furniture, old paints, stains, adhesives, other toxic liquids, and even drywall.

What is Water Damage Restoration Service?

It is a professional term that describes the process of water damage cleanup from the very initial step of drying out the water to the last one. It is also known as (1) water remediation, (2) water removal, (3) water extraction, (4) water mitigation, and (5) flood cleanup. There are slight differences in each of them, let’s understand them in detail:

1. Water Damage Restoration:

It covers the entire process of water clean up from the start to the end. It includes removal of water, drying items and moving restored items back.

2. Water Remediation: 

This term is equivalent to water damage restoration. This complete process includes water cleanup, water removal, drying items, and then moving items back.

3. Water Removal: 

It is the act of removing water from the water damaged areas. The professionals use specialized water damage repair equipment such as truck mounts to remove large amounts of water, commercial-grade dehumidifiers, and high-velocity air movers.

4. Water Mitigation: 

It refers to the process of reversing or preventing damage caused by the amount of water in the building. Hence, water mitigation is the process of water removal or in other words, the complete water cleaning process.

5. Water Extraction: 

It is the same as water removal. Water restoration specialists use equipment to restore the affected parts.

6. Flood Cleanup: 

This means floodwater is collecting inside your home. Since flood water is considered contaminated, most of the people prefer professional help in removing, sanitizing, and drying the areas which were affected.

Hence, this entire process is labeled as flood clean up.

What is the Typical Cost of Water Damage Restoration?

The average cost of simply drying out your home from a “clean” water leak with no further damage done or restoration costs around $2,700.On the other side, the average cost of drying out your home and repairing the damage done to areas like drywall and carpeting is around $7,500.

Please note that this is an average water damage restoration costs detail. The costs may vary from company to company. And, also depends on the source of the water, how much water, and how vast the damage is.

Is Water Damage Covered by Insurance?

Conventional home insurance policies claim water damage to be internal and sudden, along with the requirement that the water has never touched the outside ground.

It clearly means the water damage is the result of one of the 16 perils that homeowner’s insurance covers. Such as sudden and accidental tearing, burning, cracking, heating, bulging of steam, or automatic fire protection system.

Your policy covers you under the following circumstances:

1. Rain or snowstorm
2. Water damage from extinguishing a fire
3. Burst pipes, frozen plumbing, faulty plumbing, accidental overflow
4. An accidental overflow of an appliance or fixture (toilet, washing machine, bathtub)
5. A leaking roof (coverage would extend only to the home interior, not the roof itself)
6. Vandalism
7. Mold (only when it’s the result of covered water damage)

When Does Homeowner’s Insurance Not Cover Water Damage?

If the water damage is not the result of an accident or sudden occurrence, home insurance doesn’t cover it. Certain situations where homeowner’s insurance does not cover water damage are:

1. Ground seepage
2. Flooding
3. Water or sewer pipe backups
4. Poorly-maintained pipes leading to leaks

Standard home insurance policies don’t cover water damage resulting from a flood. This means you need to purchase additional flood insurance, especially if you are residing in a high-risk area prone to flooding.

How to Avoid Having a Water Damage Claim Denied?

1. Make sure to purchase the insurance from the best agencies according to your needs. Always inquire about extra coverages you can add, since they may be useful to you.
2. Make sure you understand all the coverages mentioned in your policies. They have a good understanding of the prohibitions and exclusions, as well as your responsibilities as a homeowner.
3. Always maintain records of repairs and the professionals you have hired over the years for any kind of maintenance. This may become necessary in the event of a loss, and is good practice to keep as a homeowner.
4. Keep a regular check on your home’s maintenance every spring and fall to avoid surprises. Regular small repairs will avoid large expenses.

Conclusion:

It is always advisable to follow these water damage cleanup and restoration steps to avoid any kind of mishappening. You can also choose to hire a water restoration contractor to evaluate the water damage and give you an estimate for the cost to repair it.

DryEffect can help you with the same. Our experienced and professional team is well trained to analyze each and every situation properly and then act upon it. Contact us today or write to us at contact@dryeffect.com for all your water restoration needs!