To minimise water damage from a significant leak or flood in your house, the restoration procedure should ideally begin within 24 hours. Whether you have a leaking pipe or a flooded basement, the first step is to find the cause and stop any further water from escaping. Water damage, in fact, may harm your house quicker than you realise. Mold growth, floor, wall, and electric damage, as well as structural issues, may all arise within the first 24 hours following a leak or flood. As a result, it is always advisable to call a water cleaning specialist near you as soon as possible for a consultation and repair.
How Bad Is Water Damage?
There is no simple way out of this situation. Water damage is horrible and has several consequences. The most obvious issue is water damage, which damages building materials, appliances, fixtures, and furniture as it sits and pools, with electronics being especially sensitive. Mold thrives on water damage and is particularly deadly when moisture lurks behind walls and other hard-to-reach places. What's more terrifying? Water damage poses health dangers depending on the source of the water, since sitting water often includes a range of germs and bacteria.
How Quickly Does Water Damage Progress?
Even a little leak that seems to be negligible might create issues. Water soaks through floors, walls, soft furniture, and other surfaces fast. If you overlook water damage for an extended period of time, your insurance may not cover it, and the cost of repairing water damage to your home may be prohibitively high.
Within the First 24 Hours
A leak or flood will absorb everything in its path as it expands. This implies that personal items like books and photographs might instantly swell and warp beyond repair. Water will soak through soft furniture and upholstery, absorbing into the walls and flooring. Swelling may occur in drywall, furniture, wooden doors, and window frames. Paint or wallpaper may also peel or blister, and it may interfere with electrical equipment. Water may seep through the ceilings and ruin insulation and wooden timbers if the leak is in your roof. Mold may begin to develop during this period, which is concerning.
Within the First Week
The water damage will worsen after that first day. Mold can spread quickly, making the area a biohazard. The damage to wood surfaces and walls worsens, and metal surfaces may begin to corrode.
More Than a Week
If water damage is allowed to persist for more than a week, the timescales, costs, and effort necessary for any repair operation will rise. Mold spreads quickly, increasing the risks associated with structural deterioration.
How Much Water Does It Take to Cause Damage?
Water is essential for life, but it is not required for the different components in your house. In other words, you don't need a lot of water to do damage, albeit this varies greatly depending on the impacted regions. Hardwood floors, for example, are harmed by any amount of pooled water let to rest for a day or two, resulting in buckling boards and other repair issues. Drywall fared somewhat better since there are methods for drying it out, but if the components retain more than 1% moisture, they must be replaced. Mold starts to develop within 24 hours of moisture being introduced into the air, even if the water damage is modest.
What Causes Water Damage?
Water damage can be caused by a variety of factors, some of which occur suddenly and others over time. Here is a list of them.
- Flooding in any kind.
- Inclement weather, particularly if your roof has small gaps or if strong winds blow out a window or a related fixture.
- Any form of leak. These are especially dangerous since leaks frequently originate behind the walls, causing extensive damage before it is discovered. Rusted and corroded pipes, high water pressure, extreme temperatures, broken water couplings, and other factors are common leak sources.
- Sewage is backing up in your pipes and draining through your water fixtures.
- Clogged gutters eventually obstruct drains, causing water damage.
- Appliances that are faulty or malfunctioning, such as washing machines, dishwashers, and air conditioners.
What To Do When There Is Water Damage
There are certain urgent practical and safety considerations when there is a flood or big leak. Here are the initial steps to take.
- Remove dogs and children from the home, particularly if the damage is extensive.
- Gather any accessible valuables and seek to stop the leak by addressing the underlying source.
- Turn off the breaker box, but only if it is in a dry portion of the house. To avoid electric shock, do not open the breaker box if it is near water damage. If it's wet or near water, contact the utility company and request that it be turned off at their end. If that isn't possible, request that someone be dispatched.
- Contact your insurance carrier as soon as possible and be truthful about the degree of the water damage and the original source.
- If the water damage is caused by a clogged sewer, or if the water is grey or black, call a professional before touching or dealing with the water in any way, since it poses a major biohazard risk.
Hiring a Pro for Water Damage
When you've concluded that it's safe to return home, the sooner you can begin cleaning and water damage repair, the better. To limit the development of mould and the possibility of catastrophic structural damage, contact a water damage repair specialist within 24 to 48 hours.
Water damage lurks behind walls and under flooring, so the scope of the issue is usually greater than it looks. In other words, it's critical to work with a reputable building repair specialist. They will assess the degree of the water damage and the amount of work needed to restore your home's habitability. Water damage repair requires extensive labour, such as drying and rebuilding flooring, drywall, and insulation.
Furthermore, not all of your water-damaged goods are recoverable, and this damage will be assessed by specialists as well. Expect to spend a few days to a few weeks drying out the house and completing the required repairs, depending on the degree of the water damage.
