23 Sep Learn What to Do When Water Damages Your Home or Commercial Property
Moisture is one of the leading causes of property damage. Water damage can cause a lot of problems, from flooding and storm damage to leaky roofs and burst pipes. It is smart to be prepared to address such problems.
Water damage restoration is easier if you are familiar with the steps. Knowing what to do and acting quickly to protect your commercial or residential property will make it easier to recover.
These are the essential steps to dealing with water damage.
Before Disaster strikes
Planning ahead is the best way to handle a disaster. These tips can be helpful.
Prepare ahead of Time
You can avoid damage by planning ahead. This will save you time, hassle, money, and help to minimize financial loss. A trusted restoration company can help you create a residential or commercial emergency management plan (RERM), especially if your property is large.
Know Your Responsibilities
Managers and owners of commercial and rental properties should be familiar with the legal obligations of tenants and other people who could be affected by emergencies.
Being aware of the risk factor can help ensure that documentation and insurance policies are in order and that emergency response plans are in place in case of flooding or other emergencies.
Recognize the Sources
You can reduce damage and sometimes even prevent it from happening by knowing what causes water damage. Make sure you have adequate protections for these sources of water damage.
- Thunderstorms severe
- Tornadoes
- Roof leaks
- Flooding
- Broken pipes
- HVAC problems
- Leakage of sewage in private and public areas
- Near rivers, creeks, or lakes
- Water damage can be caused by fire — water used to extinguish flames.
- Mold is often caused by excess moisture in a property
Provide Written Documentation
Tenants, managers, and maintenance personnel should have emergency plans. Information such as who to contact in case of emergency, evacuation routes, who is responsible for evacuation, first aid tips, and who should be notified if there are any problems. It is always better to address safety and liability concerns before a disaster happens.
After the Disaster Strikes
You can’t be sure that you won’t face property disasters despite having the best plans. If your property has suffered moisture damage, you can take steps to make water damage restoration more efficient.
Make sure everyone is safe
If water damage has already occurred or is on the horizon, it is important to ensure that people and their property are safe.
- To avoid exposure to unsafe water or electrical wires, evacuate everyone.
- To stop further flooding, turn off the water supply.
- To prevent a fire bursting out, turn off the power to your property.
- You should not go in water without proper protection. Inadvertent exposure to bacteria or pollutants can cause you to get sick.
Evaluate the Situation
Take immediate action to determine the source of water damage and how serious it is. Also, take prompt steps to address any potential future problems. Consider:
- Is the moisture coming from a leak, broken pipe or damaged window frames? ?
- What extent of damage has it caused? Is your basement saturated to the knee? Are your carpets wet? It is better to hire professional restoration services if the damage is severe.
- How is the water quality? Is it clean? Is it gray, somewhat dirty water from your washing machine or dishwasher? Is it black water that is extremely dirty, like sewage? It is more dangerous for your health to have it in such a bad state, so it is better to hire professionals to clean it properly.
Take out the water
It’s time for you to dry everything out once the water source has been stopped. It is important to address the problem immediately and stop any further damage. This will help minimize the impact of the disaster.
Contact a local Long Beach Water Damage Restoration Company as soon as possible for assistance. Water restoration professionals have the expertise to quickly and safely remove water. They can disinfect surfaces and prevent mold growth. This can be a costly mistake that can lead to the destruction of a property.
Salvage Valuables
Take away any personal property, furniture or electronics. You can assess everything and then try to salvage what you can. This can be made easier by hiring a professional team of property restoration experts.
Make a Next Steps list
There are many things you can do to make your commercial or residential property ready for the next disaster. After the initial disaster response has been completed, you should make a list with additional actions, such as:
- Start the claims process by contacting your insurance company
- Broken power lines can be repaired
- Get rid of hazardous materials
- Take down fallen trees and other debris
- Before tenants return, conduct structural inspections
- Other repairs are needed to make the environment safe for working and living.