A water disaster inside your home can cause extensive damage to your property and possessions and upend your life for several days or weeks while you clean up the area. Here are some recommendations for you to use and remember when you are dealing with cleanup on water damage inside your home.
Consider the Source of Water Damage
Anytime you discover water damage inside your home, you need to consider the source of the water or what type of water it is. This question will help you determine not only the extent you will need to clean up the water damage and if you need a professional cleaning service, and also if you need to protect your health from any risks within the water. Some types of water damage can contain raw sewage and needs to be handled with safety and protection equipment to prevent infection and illness.
If your home has been damaged with water from your own home's clean water lines you don't need to worry about microbes and diseases being in the water and inside your home. You only need to suck up any standing water and dry out the area to prevent mold growth. The timing of this process is important because mold and mildew can begin to grow after only a few days.
If you are dealing with wastewater from your dishwasher, clothes washer, sink, or shower, the areas of water damage need a bit more cleaning than clean water. Be sure you thoroughly suck up the water from the area. Then, you need to disinfect the surfaces with a bleach and water solution or an antibacterial cleaning solution.
However, if you are dealing with sewage waste water or flood water from outside, which can be contaminated with sewage from overflowing sewer lines, be sure to clean up with a bleach solution and dispose of porous materials to thoroughly remove all risk of microbes and illness. You can also hire a professional water damage service who is trained to handle sewage contamination and similar chemicals that can be present in this type of water damage.
Keep an Eye on Mold Growth
Along with bacteria and viruses that can be within flood waters, another threat when you are dealing with moisture damage is the chance of mold and mildew growth. Whether you know that a surface is wet, it can begin to grow mold upon its surface, especially if it is in a dark area.
For example, wet drywall can harbor moisture trapped behind the wall and on the wall's interior framing. And if the area is not opened up and dried out or the materials replaced, the area will grow mold. Consult with your water damage restoration service to eliminate moisture and water damage inside your home.