Everyone at some point in their lives will likely experience and be forced to deal with a water leak. In fact, water damage due to these leaks is quite common and occurs in many houses and apartments. When your home is faced with water damage, it's very easy to become overwhelmed and discouraged in the adversity of the moment. While it can be a very stressful and trying time, it's important to try and remain calm in order to address the situation.
Read on to discover 5 steps you need to take when water damage strikes your floor.
ACT QUICKLY
First and foremost, if you discover a major water leak in your home, you’ll want to determine the source and stop the flow of water. By acting immediately, you may be able to prevent and avoid more costly damage and repairs to your home. The first thing you will want to do when identifying a water leak’s source is to determine if it has a main water valve available – if so, you may be able to turn off the water and divert the flow from damaging your home any further. If there are any electronics in the area nearby you will want to immediately unplug and/or remove them. In some instances, shutting off the circuit breaker may be necessary. If you cannot determine where the water is coming from, or if it’s a burst pipe or water line that is spraying water everywhere, head straight for your water main.
STEER CLEAR OF THE AFFECTED AREA
After identifying the water source and taking measures to divert the flow, it’s important to stay out of the area as much as possible. Determine if there are any safety concerns with electricity, and make the effort to safely turn it off. If the breaker box is located in an area with standing water and could be unsafe to reach, it’s imperative that you call an electrician to handle it for you.
Stepping in the flood can also cause you to track water into other parts of your house, increasing the risk of mold and bacteria eventually growing. Interact with the water as little as possible, and if you need to walk into the area to remove personal belongings or unplug electronics it’s important to do so very carefully.
CONTACT RESTORATION EXPERTS
Call a 24-hour water extraction company as soon as possible to help remove the water and protect your flooring from further damage. The sooner you call, the better – water can quickly degrade your floor’s condition and become a breeding ground of bacteria and mildew, causing you extra hassle and dramatically increasing cost.
Colors Professional Floor Care is licensed to extract water by the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC), is available 24-7 every day of the week in cases of water emergency, and in most cases can even be there within an hour. Our highly-trained technicians are courteous and professional, and work quickly to extract standing water from carpet, hardwood, tile & grout, upholstery and more. We utilize professional-grade sanitation equipment to dry your home as quickly as possible, finishing with a treatment of specially designed solutions to minimize the possibility of microbial growth. This method helps to ensure that your flooring looks and smells as good as possible!
CONTACT INSURANCE AGENT
Once the situation is under control and the water extraction process has begun, it’s time to call your insurance company. Depending on the severity of the damage and where the water has been exposed to parts of your house, you may want to file a claim. If your baseboards or carpet have gotten wet, they need to be professionally cleaned and treated in order to prevent mold and microbial growth from overrunning your floors, potentially costing hundreds to thousands of dollars in the process.
Describe the affected area to your insurance agent, and relay any and all work that the water extraction company is providing. In some cases, the technicians may have to start removing carpet and padding depending on how saturated the carpet is with water. Be sure to confer with your agent and find out if your policy will cover temporary housing for you and your family if the need arises – in some extreme cases, it’s likely that flooring has to be removed, and giant fans are run 24 hours a day to dry the area.
Colors Professional Floor Care collaborates directly with your insurance company to help process claims and ease your burden during these trying times. We work with you to get your home dry and back to normal as soon as possible!
DOCUMENT THE DAMAGE
A reputable water restoration company should document the damage and cleaning process to help with the insurance claim, but this is not always the case depending on the company that you hire. If you find that the water restoration company you contacted is not documenting the process for you, it is imperative that you start collecting images and reports yourself. Take pictures of the water damage and provide them to your agent.
Colors Professional Floor Care submits in-depth documentation to your insurance company in order to help with the damage claim, providing pictures and detailed notes of the water damage and the entire cleaning process. Our professional technicians handle the total procedure on your behalf, leaving you with one less thing to worry about. We know water damage can be devastating, so we’re here to help in any way we can.