Water damage can be caused by leaking appliances, flooding, broken pipes, and sewage backup. It has to be handled appropriately because mold can start to develop within just 24 hours. Water can also cause a lot of damage to your personal belongings. Fortunately, you can take the following steps to handle water damage.
Contact the Insurance Company
Your insurance company may cover the water damage. However, they will have to send someone out to assess the damage. You also need to take photos of the damage. Keep in mind that every home insurance company does not cover flood damage. You may need to get a separate insurance policy for flood damage. If you live in an area where flooding is common, it may be a good idea to go out of your way to get special coverage so that you are not left in a lurch if your home is ever damaged by a flood.
Hire A Clean up Company
You need to hire a clean-up company like Servpro of Beaufort County. They will remove the water from your home. They can also discard anything that cannot be salvaged. Additionally, they can dry out your home. You may have to temporarily live somewhere else while the damage is being cleaned up. When this type of problem occurs, it is imperative that you contact a clean up company as soon as possible so they can get to work right away.
Hire a Contractor
A contractor can restore your water-damaged home. However, you need to select the right contractor for the job. It is best for you to choose someone who has experience restoring a water-damaged home. A contractor can also be helpful because they can tell you what kind of damage your home has sustained and what you would need to do about fixing it. By contacting a contractor as soon as the clean up is done, you can help ensure that you can get your home back to normal as soon as possible.
Replace the Damaged Parts of Your Home
You may need to hire an electrical contractor and HVAC specialist. Water can do a lot of damage to your electrical switches, outlets, and panels. An electrical contractor will make sure that it is safe to turn your electricity back on. They can also replace the damaged panels, switches, outlets, panels, and appliances.
An HVAC specialist will check to see if your HVAC system has been damaged by water. If your HVAC system has suffered severe damage, then you may need to get a new one. Additionally, damaged flooring will have to be replaced. Hardwood and laminate flooring are more likely to be damaged because they tend to absorb water. The carpet has to be replaced because it can accumulate mold.
The first thing that you should do if your home has suffered water damage is to talk to your insurance company. You should also hire a water damage restoration company and contractor. Additionally, all of the parts of your home that have been damaged by water will need to be replaced as soon as possible.