Memories of a weekend out with the family can be ruined when you get back to the house and find that your house is flooded due to a tap that was accidentally left running in the rush to get out of the house.
In the wake of the hurricanes that have occurred in the USA, most people are facing a number of issues related to water damage in their homes.
These are not isolated cases; water damage and mold cost the insurance industry $2.5 billion dollars per year, and the average cost of a home water damage insurance claim is $6,965 as per Water Damage Defense.
According to industry estimates, 14,000 people in the US experience a water damage emergency at home or work each day, and 98% of basements in the US will suffer from some type of water damage during their lifetime.
This behoves us to take keen interest in water damage mitigation and control measures.
Ari of Flood Pro Florida offers the following steps to prevent or reduce property damage due to water.
- Keep calm.
- Close the main water valve or shut off any water sources to stop the flooding.
- Immediately call water extraction companies like floodprooffloridallc.com.
- Be keen to TURN OFF the electrical breaker in the affected area before removing any electrical devices.
- Place aluminium foil under the legs or base of any furniture touching the wet carpet to prevent possibility of permanent staining.
- Curtains should be taken out or lifted away from the wet carpet.
- Book, papers, fabrics, potted plants or any items that may stain the carpet should be removed.
- Don’t keep newspapers on wet carpet. Yes it may absorb some moisture, but there is the risk of the ink transferring onto the wet carpet resulting in permanent staining.
- Avoid walking on wet carpets unless very necessary. Walking causes damage to spread to unaffected areas.
- Don’t use your HOME VACUUM to try and suck water out of the carpet. Though this may seem like a quick fix, you run the risk of destroying your equipment and even getting an electric shock. There is a high possibility that the electrical sockets get damaged when the wall is affected by water.
Other points to note:
- For those living in flood-prone areas, have flood control devices like sand bags or flood barriers at hand.
- Get a high-quality sump pump and a good backup system to protect your basement in case groundwater saturation is an issue in your area.
- Regularly check your drainage system to ensure that there are no blockages.
- Always keep a watchful eye on areas around your property that are prone to water damage. Prevention is better than cure.