There are many reasons why you may have water damage in your home. From a leaking roof or a broken pipe to a natural disaster, when water damage occurs in your home taking steps to prevent damages in the home can save you lots of money. There are some things that you’ll need to do in order to make sure less damage is occurring in your home which I’ll go over in this article. You can also take a look at our water damage in Michigan page for more information on our services related to water damage in your home.
What Your First Steps Should Be When Your Home is Affected by Water Damage
One thing that you’ll need to do before you take any steps to clean up the damage or prevent it further is to take pictures. This is especially important if you are planning on claiming the damages on your insurance policy. By removing items and cleaning things you may make a mistake and cause problems with the claim. So be sure to document and photograph everything and also call your agent and let them know about the problem. Although you can stop lots of damages by going through the list below it’s important that you are still covered either way.
Stop the Water if Possible
Although you may not be able to stop a flood or other natural disaster you may be able to stop a pipe leaking by turning off the water. If you have a bathroom flooding you can sometimes find the valve stop underneath the vanity or toilet and turn it off to stop all the water. If your home doesn’t have the ability to stop or turn off the water in specific locations like this you may need to stop the water at the water main or water meter. Also if the roof of your home is leaking you may want to get a roofing contractor to install a temporary repair until proper repairs can be made.
Be Aware of Electrical Circuits
One of the things you’ll need to be aware of when dealing with water in your home is that the electrical circuits in your home and water do not mix. So if you have electrical cords or devices that are emersed in water be sure to first turn off the electrical breaker before you attempt to move them or do anything in that area. Since water is a conductor of electricity just touching the water that also touches any wires can be extremely dangerous. Turning off circuit breakers can help to minimize the risk but be aware that this should be done by a professional.
Remove Items from Damaged Area
Water can damage all sorts of items. From furniture to electronics water can cause damages that can make the item useless and need to be replaced. However, removing items that are directly in the path of the water damage to an area where water is not present can help them. For instance, if you have a table and chairs that are in a damaged area be sure to dry them off and move them to another area of the home that is not affected by water. This will allow them to dry and also get them out of the water where more damage can occur.
Open Windows and Doors
Using fans to help move air and dry the area is great but there usually lots of humidity in the air if water damage has occurred. Opening windows and doors to allow fresh air to circulate throughout the home can be really beneficial. Of course, the temperature outside will play a huge factor in doing this especially here in Michigan. But it’s important to get the area dried as quickly as possible to prevent mold growth and more water damage from occurring.
Call the Professionals at Michigan Restoration Pros
When water affects your home and starts to damage it be sure to call the professionals to help. At Michigan Restoration Pros we can help with water damage for your home and get you back to normal quickly. We have specialized equipment that can dry your home fast and our certified technicians will locate and solve the cause of the water damage. Give us a call for more information today at (248) 509-8104
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