Water damage is one of those things that can be confusing and difficult to quantify. If you've recently experienced water exposure in your home, it's important that you understand how to assess the severity and progression of the problem. Here's a look at some of the things that you need to understand about water damage, its progression, and the hazards it can pose.
How Long Has The Water Been There?
The severity of the water damage that you're facing will get progressively worse the longer that the water is left. If you can get the water out of the house within minutes, you'll significantly minimize the amount of restoration that needs to be done.
Water that has been there for several hours will have already saturated the carpet padding, furniture, and fabric of your home. You may notice color bleeding from fabrics that aren't color-fast. Within a couple of days, mold will begin to grow, and you'll notice warping in your wood trim and floors. In addition, paint and wallpaper will start bubbling and peeling after a day or so of prolonged water exposure.
The longer you go without dealing with water damage, the worse it will be for your home. Mold will spread further and wood will continue to deteriorate. That's why it's important to address water as quickly as possible.
How Extensive Is The Water?
The next thing that you need to think about is how extensive the water is. Water damage that's isolated to a single corner of one room will typically be quick and easy to remedy without long-term damage.
More widespread water damage may require a sump pump to remove the standing water from the space. You may find that the water was deep enough and widespread enough to cause damage to the drywall.
Significant water damage issues, such as what can occur with hurricanes and home flooding, may actually result in damage that requires demolition and reconstruction. Concrete and stone that's been damaged by water may bring concerns of deep mold spores and weakened structural integrity.
These are just a few of the things that you need to discuss with your water damage restoration contractor. They will help you evaluate the extent of the water, the severity of the damage, and the anticipated restoration needs. The more you know ahead of time, the easier it will be for you to plan your home's water damage restoration project.
Share26 September 2022
When something you own and love is damaged, it is easy to shrug and decide that item will never be the same again. Sometimes, you might be correct in this assumption. But if you really like the item and would like to keep using it, there is usually the option to repair it. Damage repair contractors can do incredible work, often with items and materials that the average person might assume were beyond being able to be repaired. We won't claim to be damage contractors, but we do wish to raise awareness of their work on this blog. When something you love is damaged, we want you to know you have options.