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Fire & Water - Cleanup & Restoration

Water damage tips to reduce damage to your home

3/2/2016 (Permalink)

Kitchen ceiling with sagging from water damage

A water damage can be devastatingly stressful to a homeowner. You can feel helpless and overwhelmed. Although calling a professional is the first step we always recommend, there are some things you can do to help reduce the damage while you wait for professionals to arrive.

DO:

  • Shut off the water source if possible
  • Turn off circuit breakers for wet areas of the home or building
  • Remove as much excess water as possible by mopping or blotting with towels
  • Remove lamps and other tabletop items and wipe wood furniture with a towel
  • Remove and prop up wet upholstery cushions for even drying
  • Place foil or wood blocks between furniture legs and wet flooring
  • Remove any paintings, electronics or anything else that is sensitive to moisture and put in a dry area of the house

Taking the above steps can really help decrease the amount of damage to your home after a water leak. There are also a few practices that you should avoid after a water damage, because they can cause more damage or harm to yourself or your family.

DON’T:

  • Enter rooms with standing water where electric shock hazard may exist, such as when electric outlets, switches or circuit breakers are exposed to water 
  • Leave books, newspapers or other colored items on wet carpet or furniture
  • Leave wet oriental rugs or other colored rugs on carpeting
  • Use household vacuum cleaner to remove water because risk of electric shock
  • Use TV’s or other electrical appliances while standing on wet floor
  • Turn on ceiling fan in rooms where the ceiling is wet
  • Enter a room where ceiling is wet and sagging
  • Spread contaminated water by walking unnecessarily throughout the house
  • Use personal fans if the water in the home is contaminated

The most important “do” is to call a professional, trained water mitigation specialist such as SERVPRO of Murrieta at (951)894-4392.

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