There are lots of things that can cause water damage in your home, such as storms, pipes, backed up drains, and more. Water damage in Marietta can also be caused by the water used to put out a house fire. Although some of these things might be preventable, they are all extremely unfortunate and can result in the loss of significant valuables. You can help reduce the extent of the damage in your home by keeping in mind these few crucial tips. Don’t Go In The first thing you need to is avoid entering any building or room that might be structurally compromised. If you see a room with piles of debris or with a sagging ceiling, just leave it alone. Wait until the fire department or the restoration company comes and they can tell you whether it’s safe for you to enter or which rooms and spaces to avoid. Let the Air Circulate To get rid of any excess moisture or smoke (if your water damage was the result of extinguishing a fire), try to get as much air circulating as possible. Now is the time to get out all of the fans in your home, open all your windows, and turn the ceiling fans on high. The goal here is to get air moving through the home to hopefully pull out the smoke and smells while drying out any remaining areas of excess moisture. If it is too cold outside to have the windows on, alternate running the heater and opening the windows. Turning on the heat without opening the windows will encourage mold growth. Soak It Up Wherever you can, mop or sponge any standing water. You want to get rid of as much water as you can, even if you don’t think it is that much. Water that is allowed to be absorbed into fabrics, carpet, or upholstery will soon spread and, if left alone, can result in serious mold problems. As soon as you notice water in your home, get to work sponging and mopping it up. Take Out Any Wet Things Instead of just mopping or trying to soak up moisture in carpets, pull up any wet carpets and rugs and leave them outside. If the floor underneath gets wet, particularly the subfloor, the extent of the damage can be severe and quick. Anything that gets wet that you can remove and leave out to dry such as draperies, fabrics, clothes, and blankets should be removed from the home. Don’t Mix Water and Electricity Obviously you should also not use electrical appliances in any areas where there is water. Be aware that you might have remaining moisture that you can’t see. Water might have dripped into your toaster or into your burners on your stove so make sure that you know 100% that these are dried out before using them, or avoid using them at all until the water damage restoration experts have come in and cleared everything. Save Your Important Paperwork One thing that many people are understandably worried about when they have had water damage is their important documents and records. These papers can be put in the freezer to prevent mold. You can then either then leave them out to dry or hire a company to professionally restore them. Do not use a hair dryer on your papers as this can cause them to buckle or catch fire. The most important thing to remember about water damage in Marietta is to avoid handling all the damage on your own. Always wait and make sure that you have a professional restoration company help you out.
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