Thursday, February 18, 2016

Tips for Water Damage Restoration



A good restoration company can do an inspection and come up with the best cleanup plan for your house. Because cleaning and restoration depend on what kind of water damages your house and for how long the water have been there. These are some of the basis for the success of the restoration in your house.


When the planning is done, execution of the plan will follow. Water should be removed immediately and demolition of the necessary part will be the next procedure. This is to prevent the growth of molds and mildew to your house that can cause health problems.


“Homeowners often find themselves wading through water, tearing down drywall and ripping up carpet after a flood hits.

Floodwaters destroy property, leaving residents with a mess they need to clean up before they can repair or rebuild.

If a natural disaster hits your area, you may need to wait days for help from remediation companies responding to high demand. In the meantime, here’s what you can do to deal with damage until help arrives.

Whether you choose to hire a remediation company or do the work on your own, follow these tips for cleaning up after a flood.

What to do while waiting for a professional

Secondly, Pearce recommends tearing up and throwing away flood-soaked carpet and padding. “The carpet and pad are never salvageable,” he says.

Mold favors wet and dark areas with no air flow, so blow air against perimeter walls to keep it from growing, he says.

“Those are the things we tell everyone,” he says. “That’s the best thing you can do for yourself until people can come and help you.”

How to clean up on your own

If you choose to go the DIY route, follow these tips for cleaning up flood damage.

Dry out your home

• Use a wet-dry shop vacuum, electric water transfer pump or sump pump to remove standing water. Wear rubber boots if you have to stand in a wet area.

• Open doors and windows. Set up fans to blow air outside the home.

• If your vents were exposed to floodwater, wait to turn your HVAC unit back on until you have the ducts inspected and cleaned by a professional.

Toss what you can’t save

• Remove and throw away flood-damaged carpet and padding — floods render them unsalvageable after floods.

• Throw away flood-soaked items that can’t be repaired or disinfected. These include: mattresses, rugs, upholstered furniture, cosmetics, stuffed animals, baby toys, pillows, foam-rubber items, books, wall coverings and most paper products.

• Tear out and throw away flood-soaked drywall and insulation..

Remove mold and sanitize the area

• To prevent or remove mold, clean hard surfaces with hot water and laundry or dish detergent. Then, disinfect the area with a 10 percent bleach solution (one cup of bleach with one gallon of water). Apply a thin coat of the bleach to the entire area. Use a sprayer or sponge, but avoid excessive amounts of runoff or standing pools.

• Never mix bleach and ammonia. The mixture creates a deadly, toxic gas.

• Wear rubber boots, rubber gloves, goggles and a N95 respiratory mask while cleaning mold.

• Dry thoroughly afterward.
• Wash clothes contaminated with floodwater in hot water and detergent.”

Originally found posted on AngiesList



Water damage can be visible and some water damage is not. So good maintenance in your house is always important to make sure that everything is running smoothly in your house.  If ever a water damages your house, it is very important that you clean and sanitized your house thoroughly to prevent any health problems not only for you but also for your family.

To ensure that everything is clean and sanitized in your house make sure to prevent the growth of molds and mildew in your house, remove all the dirt and the debris in your house. Find additional tips by visiting this website.

Don’t forget to disinfect every part of your house, from the exterior, interior and all the kitchen items.
Be sure that no mildew will grow on your clothes. Wash your clothes will chlorine; it can help remove the mildew and the germs in the clothes. If you will use chlorine for cleaning and washing, don’t forget to use protective gear for your safety most especially for your hands.  After you used chlorine, make sure to wash your hands thoroughly.

Water Damage can happen when you don’t expect it. So every homeowner should be prepared when water damage occurs in your house. Having an insurance coverage for your house can be a good start by making sure that whatever happens to your house, you can expect that your insurance company can cover for the expenses.  Hiring a reliable restoration company can also be a big help for you. So you don’t have to worry about the cleaning and the restoration.

"Here are the following 11.5 major important tips when water damage occurs:

1. Wear puncture resistant boots and puncture resistant gloves. This will protect you from electric shock and sharp objects( you will see later what I mean)

2. As soon as possible extract as much water from the area as possible( I know this is obvious but I needed to state this you don't know who may be reading)

3. Lift all furniture from the floors on to wood blocks. Professionals use Styrofoam blocks but most readers don't have Styrofoam available. Go to a hardware store and ask for scraps. 2 x 4 are the best to use. There may be furniture to heavy to pick up and that may be a time to contact an IICRC water damage professional.

4. Pick up any loose items on the floor (clothes, toys, etc).

5. Lift the carpet off the tacks strips very carefully. The tacks strips that hold the carpet down have sharp nails and can cut you easily (listen to the guy who has experienced this first hand). Also the tack strips have been down in many cases for years and are rusted. Rust nails can mean tetanus. Now you see what a mean by using puncture resistance gloves. Also if you take the carpet up incorrectly you may (actually most of the time) also tear the bottom of the carpet. Tearing the bottom of the carpet means you can't reinstall the carpet later, which means you just bought new carpet.” To read all the tips, visit http://water-damage.promatcher.com/articles/Water-Damage-Clean-Up-Tips-When-You-Have-Water-Damage-in-Your-Home-or-Business-1052

Find the channel at https://goo.gl/sXysuA for additional tips and advice.