Seeing our house flooded can be devastating. People's first instinct is to salvage anything they can, then start cleaning the house immediately. After some time, when they are tired of doing it alone, they think of calling some professionals. Although our first impulses make psychological sense, our first response should be to call a reputable and trusted restoration company: they will have the appropriate tools and expertise to mitigate the damage and complete the restoration work.
Throughout our extensive experience, we have spotted some most common mistakes people make when tackling flood damage in Temecula. These are honest and understandable mistakes; however, they can worsen flooding and create bigger problems.
Failing to Address the Root Cause
You may think that a burst pipe was the cause of the flooding—and it may well be. However, the obvious problem often differs from the real one. A burst pipe may be the evident origin of the damage, but an underlying problem often needs fixing to ensure no more flooding occurs. An experienced restoration company will establish what caused the problem in the first place and repair the true source of the problem.
Using the Wrong Equipment
Buckets, brushes, mops, and towels are excellent cleaning tools for everyday cleaning and tidying. Unfortunately, a flood is an exceptional circumstance requiring extraordinary equipment and tools. Restoration companies have professional tools that pump water, dehumidify, and deodorize large areas. They can do this in a minimal amount of time to limit water damage. And they know how to reduce the damage.
Sometimes homeowners make things worse by starting the cleanup with everyday equipment. They end up pushing the water deeper into carpets and floors and onto corners, thus worsening the damage and creating breeding grounds for potentially dangerous mold.
Waiting Too Long
Water is pernicious. It seeps through floors, drywall, and walls, not to mention carpets, cupboards, and closets. The longer you wait, the more water will continue its destructive work and create further problems in the long run. Sometimes homeowners attempt an initial cleanup on their own and postpone calling a restoration company while considering whether they really need it.
Unfortunately, once the water has leaked, it can cause dangerous mold and structural damage to the house's foundations. Experienced crews can recognize the unseen damage and remedy it. The longer you wait, however, the worse—and costlier—the problem becomes.
Ignoring Hidden Water Damage
A flooded house requires a thorough inspection to estimate the real damage. Sometimes, the damage is hidden, and only appears in small stains or mold. In a sense, cleaning up a flood is the easy part. Evaluating the hidden damage, however, requires expert knowledge and equipment. Restoration companies have special tools that show whether there is residual humidity in walls and floors. Experts will also check the house's structural foundation to ensure that it hasn't sustained any permanent damage. And they will disinfect to ensure no mold develops in flooded areas.
Salvaging or Throwing Away Personal Belongings
People's first instinct is to salvage any items they can from the flood. It is an understandable and very human instinct. However, people sometimes forget that flood water is often contaminated with bacteria. Personal belongings need to be disinfected properly before they can be used again.
Another common mistake that concerns the opposite attitude is that people discard belongings they perceive to be beyond repair. However, a professional with the right equipment can restore water-damaged belongings to their previous glory. A professional restoration expert will evaluate whether an item can be restored and will have the suitable tools to fix it. Even items that look unsalvageable may be easily fixed with the right tools.
Neglecting Safety Precautions
Hidden damage can extend to several issues: broken pipes, dirty water filled with bacteria, unstable flooring, potential electrical shocks, broken glass and debris floating in the water, and even broken gas lines. All these are safety hazards that experts know how to deal with.
Homeowners sometimes fail to notice these dangers in their attempt to save their belongings.
Similarly, most homeowners forget to wear helmets and the proper safety gear when inspecting or repairing their houses. This can lead to personal harm and worse problems than those caused by flooding.
Improperly Documenting the Damage
Thanks to the tools, equipment, and machinery available to an experienced restoration crew, documenting water damage is comprehensive. This is particularly helpful and necessary for your insurance company. Your insurance policy will cover all the flood damage. But you need to provide them with documentation about the real damage.
Suppose you only document part of the water damage because you are unaware of deeper problems. In that case, your insurance policy will not pay for any residual damage that has not been recorded. You may well end up covering the cost yourself.
A reputable and professional restoration company will provide you with an exhaustive list of the flood damage. With that in hand, you will get compensation from your insurance company, and your house will be fixed and safe for you and your family to live in—at no extra cost.
Benefits of calling a professional flood damage restoration
Water flooding and water damage can cause a lot of stress. A restoration company will help you deal with this terrible situation in many ways:
- They have the experience and the expert crews to come in and start the mitigation and restoration processes.
- They have the appropriate tools to fix problems.
- They know how to investigate floods and discover the underlying problems.
- They will not ignore hidden damages.
- They will ensure that your house is clean, disinfected, deodorized, and safe.
- They will fix items you may consider unsalvageable.
Wrapping up
It is essential to call the right company, like L&S Turn Key Plumbing, in case of Flood damage in Temecula. When you discover water damage, ensure the problem is dealt with immediately. Contact Us to schedule an appointment for any types of Flood Restoration Temecula.
Author Bio:-
Name - Josephine Floyd
Josephine Floyd is a marketing head at L&S Turnkey. He is an experienced marketing leader with over 12 years of experience in the plumbing industry. With extensive knowledge of severe water damage, mold damage, and fire damage, as well as general plumbing services, he writes articles about water and flood damage repair and restoration along with heating installation, maintenance, and repair to make readers aware of the potential risk and quick actions they can take to reduce damage. Keep reading his latest articles to have an understanding of whether your plumbing system is intact or not; if not, what you should do to fix it.
