While floods get all the headlines, water damage affects homeowners across the nation – even in times of good weather. Your home is filled with potential sources of water damage. After all, thousands of feet of pipe circulate water through your home, to the faucets, water heater, toilets, washing machine, dishwasher, and sprinklers, as well as to and from the city water systems. Pipes rust and burst, joints fail, appliances leak, and the occasional resident forgets to turn the water off.
So, what happens when a pipe bursts or a sink overflows? A minor flood event – inside your home! Water damage sets in quickly and often continues damaging your home without your notice. While a toppled water heater will grab your attention right away, a slow leak in the basement could go undetected for months or years.
Let’s look at the damage that an overflowing bathtub might cause. First, if the bathtub is located upstairs, the damage won’t be contained to just the one bathroom. In fact, with the help of gravity, expect damaged ceilings, walls, carpets, cabinets, and furnishings in the room below. In the bathroom itself, water damage will affect the floor, baseboards, drywall, and cabinetry. Depending on how long the water continued flowing, water may have spread to adjacent rooms, ruining carpets, floors, walls, and electrical systems.
If something of this nature happens to you, would you know what to do? Turning off the power is the first task as the risk of electrocution should never be taken lightly. Next, turn off the water! Use absorbent towels, mops, and sponges to soak up as much water as possible. Open the windows to further ventilate the home and then call a professional. While some water damage and clean up can be a do-it-yourself job, significant flooding requires professional intervention.
Not only do you need to thoroughly dry out the home, you will need to take steps to prevent mold growth as well as repair structural damage. A professional water damage restoration company has the tools, knowledge, products, and experience to help you recover from the flooding event. Look for a company that can provide you with a prompt response because drying out your home quickly is of utmost importance in preventing further damage.
In addition to calling your local water damage professional for emergency help, call your insurance company. While you may feel foolish for leaving the water on in the tub, you may be pleasantly surprised to learn that overflows, even accidental ones, are covered by your homeowners insurance.
No matter what type of water damage occurs in your home, from an unnoticed drip in the basement to a burst pipe in the kitchen, professional and prompt help is often your best choice. Depending on the nature of the water damage, repairs may even be covered by your homeowners insurance.
By: Mr. Mark Decherd
