There are many things that can damage a property and water is one of them. Although it might not seem like a big thing, water damage can ruin a property by weakening its foundation. Besides that, it can also cause a lot of infections which can be pretty bad for the health of the residents.
Effective water damage restoration can be a little difficult if you haven’t done it before. There are a lot of important factors that you need to keep in consideration.
In this guide, I’ll cover the essential steps you can follow to restore the damage to your property. Let’s start.
What is Water Damage Restoration?
Water damage restoration is a process of fixing property damage that is caused by water. It can be caused by leaked pipes, heavy rain, or broken appliances. Whatever the reason is, the leakage can cause a lot of damage if ignored.
Fortunately, water damage restoration experts have provided proper guidelines to help people deal with the situation on their own. These guidelines are mainly related to damage analysis, water extraction, dehumidification, and more. By following these points, you can restore your property from this damage like it never even happened.
6 Steps for Water Damage Restoration
Here are the steps that you need to take for water damage restoration.
Step 1 – Inspect the Damage
Inspecting the damage caused by water is important for preparing your home for this damage restoration. Before starting the restoration process, it’s important to analyze the damage since it helps you find out several important things.
For example, it will help to know whether the water came from poor plumbing or any broken appliance. Also, it will help the contamination level of the damage. By analyzing such factors, you can make an effective plan and strategy for restoration.
Step 2 – Extract Remaining Water
The next thing you need to do is deal with the remaining water. It’s important for properties that have faced natural disasters like heavy rain flooding. There are a lot of different mechanical tools that are used for extracting including industrial vacuums and submersible pumps.
Use these tools with great caution and get rid of all the standing water. Keep in mind that it’s not necessary to use mechanical tools all the time. You can use pots to extract the water if it is in low quantity.
Step 3 – Dehumidify the Surface
The tools discussed in the step above are effective for extracting. However, they cannot be helpful when it comes to dehumidifying the damp surfaces. So, experts use more advanced industrial-level humidifying tools for this purpose. These tools dry out the damp surface so that the next procedures can be applied to it. Some experts also use the air ventilation technique for better dehumidification.
Step 3 – Sanitize the Surface
This step is important when it comes to dealing with surfaces that are damaged by contaminated water. You can skip this step if you’re dealing with an uncontaminated surface. Sanitizing the dried surface is important because it can be helpful in staying safe from any type of harmful bacteria or viruses.
Proper protection equipment is utilized during the sanitization process. There are different ways you can clean out such surfaces. For example, you can use soap or detergent to clean it. You can also try out disinfectant to clean the surface properly.
Step 4 – Deal with the cause
Another important step to follow before restoration is dealing with what caused the damage in the first place. It can either be a leaked pipe or a poorly designed sewage system. The nature of the cause is different according to the nature of the property.
However, it is important to deal with it before starting the actual restoration process. Skipping this step comes with risk. In other words, you might have to face water damage again after restoration if you don’t fix the cause first.
Step 5 – Restore or Replace
Now, you can begin the restoration process. The inspection might have already helped to understand the damage level. So, proceed accordingly. If there is not a lot of damage, simple restoration is enough, such as applying waterproof paint.
If the damage is a lot, you might have to replace the surface material. It can be a little difficult to figure out whether you need to restore or replace the surface. So, I recommend take help of a qualified professional before making a decision.
Step 6 – Check HAV Systems
The HAV system of a house is one of the basic things that can be compromised by water damage. Not only can it get damaged, but it might also create a risk of an electric shock. So, I’d recommend seeking the help of a professional electrician once again. Make sure that all your property’s systems are working fine before turning them on again.
Sum Up
Water damage restoration is a critical process and has to be dealt with carefully. As a beginner, you might face issues while fixing this damage. However, following a simple process can be helpful in effective restoration. There are different steps involved in the process, from inspection to restoration.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is water damage restoration expensive?
It depends on the level of the damage. There’s no straightforward answer to this.
Can water permanently damage a surface?
Yes. Water has the power to permanently damage a surface.
Is it okay to take the assistance of professionals for restoration?
Yes. Taking the help of professionals to deal with restoration is a good idea.