What To Do When You Have Water Damage In Your Home

Water damage can be a homeowner's worst nightmare. Whether you have a leaky roof or a flooded basement, water damage can cause serious and expensive problems. If you're lucky, your home insurance policy will cover the cost of water damage repairs, but in some cases you may be responsible for the damages yourself. So what should you do if water damage strikes your home? 

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If you have recently experienced water damage in your home, it is important to take the necessary steps to address the issue as soon as possible. Not only can water damage lead to serious structural problems in your home, but it can also create a breeding ground for harmful bacteria and mold. In this blog post, we will outline some of the steps you should take when you have water damage in your home.

If you have water coming from a broken pipe inside your home immediately turn off the main valve so no more water can get in.

Call a plumber - If the problem is from the outside then don't worry about this step. If not, call an emergency plumber right away and ask them to come over as soon as possible.

Look around your house - While looking around check if there are any other damages caused by the water around your home, like on the flooring, carpets, etc. If you find any damage make sure to take some photos of it.

Call insurance - This step is very important if the cause was a broken pipe or something that happened inside your home . If there was some kind of accident that caused this damage it's best to ask people close to you for help while you wait for an insurance agent to come over and assess the situation.

Take some pictures - Before anything else take a few shots from different angles in all rooms where water damage has been found just in case it is needed when filling out an insurance claim.

So now that you know what to do when having water damage at home let's go over what not to do:

Don't panic - This might be a big mistake but this is very important to keep in mind at all times. Don't ever lose your cool, no matter how bad the water damage situation seems. Your state of mind will affect your actions and reactions so try not to let the stress get to you.

Do not move anything around - As tempting as it might seem you should never touch or move around any appliances, furniture, carpeting or flooring that has been wet from water. Leave everything exactly where they are until an insurance agent arrives and tells you otherwise.

Do not attempt to clean up - Let's say a pipe in your kitchen breaks and water goes everywhere on the floor. Do not try to mop up water or clean up anything. This might cause electric shock and can make things worse than they already are. Wait until the professionals get here so you know exactly what to do.

Prevent mold growth - Mold will grow in just about any damp place where it has enough humidity, warmth, darkness and lack of air circulation. This is why it's important to dry your home as quickly as possible. Use fans and dehumidifiers if needed but please avoid using heaters because sometimes water evaporates into steam which could be a big problem for electrical equipment like wall sockets, switches, etc...

So now you know How to prevent mold growth when having water damage at home . If this doesn't solve the problem then read on below to find out What to do when having water damage in your home.

Proceed to the next step if you are still experiencing problems after doing steps 1-4.

Take off all the wet carpets, flooring and other materials that have been affected by water - If there is any material that has been completely soaked through because of water it's best to cut it out with scissors rather than pull it up which could cause damage. This way you can prevent mold growth and save lots of money instead of buying new materials.

Wash down non-porous surfaces - To clean things like tiles, countertops, etc... wet a sponge or rag with clean water only, no detergents or chemicals whatsoever, wipe them down and then let them dry.

Make a list of damaged materials - Now that everything is good and dry it's time to make a detailed list of all damaged materials in your home . Anything with water damage must be noted down on this list for an insurance claim like appliances, furniture, flooring, etc...

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File out an insurance claim - By now the plumber should have come over and fixed the main cause of the problem, or at least made sure that there are no more leaks inside your home. Make sure you keep all receipts and documents concerning the repairs done by them. If they did not fix anything then make sure to note it on your list for later when filling out an insurance claim. Keep updated with what is going on around you but don't let yourself get too worked up about it.

So now that you know what to do when having water damage at home be sure to follow the steps mentioned above religiously and you will have no problems whatsoever with your insurance claim. When dealing with professionals, always ask questions if something seems unclear or sketchy because this is the only way for everyone involved to understand each other perfectly.

Conclusion paragraph: 

If you have water damage in your home, it’s important to take action quickly. The first step is to contact a professional restoration company. They will help dry out your home and assess the damage. Depending on the severity of the damage, they may also recommend repairs or replacement of furniture, carpeting, or other belongings. Taking quick action can help minimize the amount of damage done to your home and reduce the cost of repairs. contact EZ Leak Detection for help. Have you ever had to deal with water damage? What was your experience like? Let us know in the comments below.

Author Bio:- Karl Brown

Karl, a marketing manager at EZ Leak Detection, loves to write about plumbing and HVAC services to make the life of the reader easier. Leakages in your property can be dangerous but not all the leaks are easily accessible. He has given extensive information about water leaks and slab leaks and tips to detect them quickly along with quick solutions to prevent you from inconveniences and health hazards.

Leakage problems and malfunction of appliances demand comprehensive solutions. Also, regular maintenance is not the thing to be missed for leading a life with zero hassles. Read our recent post related to leakage detection and repair, alerts for HVAC shutdown and how to repair it, and installation of AC and water heater in San Diego.