Water Damage Facts

5/4/2018 (Permalink)

Water damage is one of the most common forms of damage to property.

Whether it's from a busted water pipe, sewage backup or flooding, water damage can wreak havoc on your property if not addressed immediately. While you likely already know the importance of proper water mitigation following a water loss, there's still a lot that may surprise you about water damage situations. Here are some essentials you should know about water damage restoration:

The more polluted the water, the worse your situation. The Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) classifies water into three categories in its S500 Standard:

• Category 1: Generally sanitary water
• Category 2: Significantly contaminated water
• Category 3: Grossly contaminated water

The category of water on any loss will dictate how it's restored and how much can be salvaged.

Mold can be debilitating to your home's structure and to your health. And, it doesn't take long to begin to grow. Mold needs only five perfect conditions to grow in 48-72 hours:

• Moisture
• Food source
• Prime temperature
• No/minimal air movement
• No/minimal light

Fast action is crucial. In order to begin processing an insurance claim, your agent needs to know about a water damage situation immediately, what happened, how it happened, the source of the water, etc. The longer you wait, the worse the situation gets -- not to mention, your chances of having a "sudden damage" claim approved begin to dwindle.

Have A  Water Damage Emergency? Call (508) 676-9100

What To Do After Flooding

• Remove excess water by mopping and blotting.
• Wipe excess water from wood furniture after removal of lamps and tabletop items.
• Remove and prop wet upholstery and cushions.
• Place aluminum foil or wood blocks between furniture legs and wet carpeting.
• Turn air conditioning on for maximum drying in summer.
• Remove colored rugs from wet carpeting.
• Remove art objects to a safe, dry place.
• Gather loose items from floors.

What NOT To Do After Flooding

• Don't leave wet fabrics in place. Hang furs and leather goods.
• Don't leave books, magazines or other colored items on wet carpet or floors.
• Don't use your household vacuum to remove water.
• Don't use television or other household appliances.
• Don't turn on ceiling fixtures if ceiling is wet, and keep out of rooms where ceilings are sagging.