Help! I have water damage! What do I do until help arrives?

1/25/2022 (Permalink)

‘What do I do until help arrives?!’ this is a common question asked by homeowners when faced with an emergency water damage in their home. The good news is there is help! And the proper professional help will ease a homeowner’s anxious mind.

Here are a few steps to calm matters down until help arrives. Rest assured, this advice is coming from your local and trusted industry professional, SERVPRO Garden Grove West Stanton, where excellence is our key to quality work! Take a deep breath, one step at a time, and we will help you remediate your water damage concerns shortly!

Here are a few tips to consider before help arrives:

Water Damage from Clean Water

DO’S:

• If possible, shut off the water source or contact a qualified individual to do so.
• Turn off the circuit breakers in the wet areas of the home or building, when it is safe from electric hazard to access the power distribution panel.
• Remove excess water if possible by mopping or using suitable towels for absorption.
• For wet upholstery, remove and prop up wet cushions for proper drying.
• Place wood blocks or aluminum foil between wet carpeting and furniture legs.
• For valuable objects and/ or items sensitive to moisture, such as computers, picture frames, important documents etc, remove to a safe place to dry.
• Wooden clothespins are effective to use for keeping furniture skirting off dampened floors.
• To avoid exposure to wet floors or carpeting, use coated hangers to hang draperies.
• For leather goods and furs, hang items to dry separately at room temperature.

DONT’S

• Do not enter any rooms with standing water where electric shock may be a potential hazard. This includes, but not limited to, entering rooms where electrical outlets, circuit breakers, switches, or electrical equipment are exposed to water. ALWAYS avoid a potential electric hazard.
• Do not turn on ceiling fixtures if ceiling is dampened from water damage or enter any rooms where ceilings are visibly sagging from water damage.
• Do not use any appliances, such as a microwave or TV, while standing on wet flooring, especially on wet concrete floors.
• Do not use your vacuum cleaner to remove excess water, it can potentially cause electrical shock or damage to your vacuum cleaner.
• Do not leave any colored rugs/ oriental rugs on wet carpeting, it can lead to staining.
• Do not leave reading materials such as magazines, books, newspapers, or other colored material on wet floor, it can cause staining.

We hope you find these tips helpful, and rest assured, help is only a phone call away!

Reference: SERVPRO Corp.