How to Clean Up Water Damage

6/23/2017 (Permalink)

Whether you’ve had a leak from an overflowing toilet or you had a pipe burst in the basement, it’s important to know how to clean up water damage properly to reduce the long-term effects. Let the experts at SERVPRO of Auburn/Rocklin help you with your water damage clean-up by giving you a list of do’s and don’ts!

How to Clean Up Water Damage: Do’s & Don’ts

Do:

Call a professional – this is especially important for larger floods since they have the ability to cause serious damage to your home, including mold. At SERVPRO, we have helped your friends and neighbors with all their water damage restoration services since 1967, so you can trust us to get the job done right.

Dry standing water – whenever possible, dry as much standing water as you can by soaking it up with sponges and towels. It’s also smart to use a box fan on the affected area to speed up your drying time—but be sure not to plug in or set the fan on any of the wet areas.

Remove saturated items – you should remove any saturated rugs or carpets, especially on hardwood, to an area where they can dry out thoroughly.

Ventilate the area – if you have a flood during the summer, use your air conditioning to accelerate drying.

Remove sensitive materials – whenever you can, remove any sensitive materials from the area, including computers, artwork, rugs, books, and anything else that can be easily transported and dried in another area.

Call your insurance company – it’s incredibly important to check with your insurance company to see what is covered for your home as soon as possible.

Don’t:

DON’T operate electronics – do not operate TVs, vacuums, or any other electric appliances when standing on wet flooring, especially concrete—it could result in a serious injury.

DON’T use heat to dry – in a closed-off interior space, you shouldn’t use heat to dry any affected areas because it can increase the mildew growth.

DON’T leave wet fabric together – whenever possible, separate wet fabrics and give them space to dry apart as soon as you can.

DON’T wait to call SERVPRO – Don’t wait—call SERVPRO of Auburn/Rocklin right away when you have water damage in your home.