The First Steps to Take During a Water Loss

6/7/2022 (Permalink)

Water damage is one of the most serious and most common emergencies your home can ever experience. Whether you’re facing a storm, flood, HVAC leak, weakened roof, busted pipes, sewage back up, or overflowing appliances, it can be distressing and threaten the value and safety of your home. It is essential to address emergency water damage quickly to prevent further property damage. If you are facing a water disaster, keep these steps in mind:

1. Protect Yourself and Your Possessions
   • Shut off the electricity by switching off the circuit breakers and unplugging devices – only when safe to do so.
   • If you’re in danger of flooding, evacuate the flooded area until authorities deem it safe to return.
   • Rescue the most valuable items, such as documents and electronics first. Keeping them in areas that would be hard for water to reach would be the best practice.
2. Stop the Water Damage
   • The most common culprit of water damage is from a busted pipe or hot water leak, make sure you know where your shut-off valves are, and use them.
   • If a flood is predicted, take preventative steps such as sandbagging and ditching; for the worst case scenario, prepare to evacuate.
   • Keep an eye out for a leaky ceiling!
   • Pay attention to signs of mold – foul odors, discolored ceilings, and baseboards are among them!
3. Contact Your Insurance Company
   • Call as soon as possible after the damage occurs, find out what steps the insurance company requires you to take.
   • Get an adjuster on site as soon as possible to document the damage.
   • Take photos of the damaged areas and any affected valuable items.
   • Keep detailed records and receipts.
4. Call SERVPRO® of Columbia County
   • The sooner we are on site after a water loss, the better. If it is within the first 24 hours, it would normally take 3-4 day to dry out the home and eliminate the potential risk of mold and mildew
   • We will access the furniture and items in your home, and begin restoring them as needed.
   • We will utilize our professional grade equipment such as air movers and dehumidifies to ensure that the damaged areas are being properly dried.

If you are in need of water mitigation services, contact us at 706-864-5441. We are “Faster to any sized disaster.®”