Everything you need to know about cleaning up water damage

It can happen that water infiltrates through the basement of a building, through the roof or any other opening, causing more or less serious damage to your home. In the event of significant water damage, calling on a professional in the field is the best option to ensure that the necessary operations are taken care of quickly.

What to do when water damage occurs?

As soon as you spot a water leak, quickly shut off the main water inlet and turn off the flow to the meter. Take out any items that you may be carrying to protect them from damage. Immediately call a company with expertise in water damage cleaning, who can determine on site what the cause of the problem is.

It could be…

• water infiltration through the roof;
• congestion and overflow of gutters and channels;
• leaking or broken pipes or water lines
• or come from a malfunction of a household appliance (washing machine, dishwasher, bathtub, etc.).

Before starting the clearing / cleaning as such, the expert must identify the type of water (black, gray or clear) and find the source. Gray water from sewage damage can contain bacteria and / or viruses, and even more black water (or valves), since it usually comes from sewers.

In some cases, thewater damage cleanupspecialist may ask the occupants to evacuate the accommodation during the cleaning period. Taking charge of water damage cleanup means sucking up water, drying materials, sanitizing and decontaminating the premises if necessary, before cleaning up and then restoring. These operations require the know-how and experience of specialists in the field.

The different stages of cleaning

1. Drainage

After extracting the maximum amount of accumulated water, the disaster cleaning company must quickly reduce the humidity in the entire area affected by the water damage, including partitions, ceilings, parquet, as well as furniture. ‘there is. A specialized company has the necessary equipment to carry out these operations; it can also install an air dehydrator (also called a “dehumidifier”) – the purpose of which is to promote the evaporation of the humidity present in the air and to quickly lower the percentage of humidity.

If the water damage comes from infiltration or capillary rise, a dewatering plant can be used. The stale air is sucked in and then blown out by the evaporator. The condensed vapor and the water collected in a tank provided for this purpose can then be discharged into an evacuation system. It is always best not to attempt to pump and dewater yourself, as if moisture remains in the flooded spaces, mold and bacteria can quickly grow there. They can get into floors, walls, textiles and furniture. When the areas affected by the water damage have been completely dried, the specialist can take care of anything that may affect the building in the medium and / or long term.

They can get into floors, walls, textiles and furniture. When the areas affected by the water damage have been completely dried, the specialist can take care of anything that may affect the building in the medium and / or long term. They can get into floors, walls, textiles and furniture. When the areas affected by the water damage have been completely dried, the specialist can take care of anything that may affect the building in the medium and / or long term.

2. Sanitation

If it is a major water damage, it is always wise to use the professionalism of a recognized water damage cleanup company to clean up the premises. A company specializing in this field has in-depth knowledge of the devices and disinfectant products that must be used for this operation. It leaves no risk of mold. Its experts are able to take care of water extraction, cleaning, and drying of materials and structures, before proceeding with the sanitation (and sometimes disinfection) of the area. As long as a space affected by water has not been dried, dehumidified and sanitized, the refurbishment of the dwelling cannot begin.

3. Decontamination / disinfection

The faster the water is sucked in, the less serious damage the building will suffer. On the other hand, it can happen that water damage or a flood is not noticed quickly enough; in this case, there is a good chance that the place has experienced some degree of contamination due to standing water and seepage. When the air is contaminated by the presence of fungi or bacteria in a confined space, it can cause significant health problems for the occupants of the premises.

Decontamination then becomes urgent. Sometimes specialists will have no choice but to open walls, floors and ceilings to track down pollutants and eliminate them. A company specializing in water damage knows how to disinfect all affected surfaces using fungicides, viruses and antibacterial, before cleaning the premises. In some cases, the use of hydroxyl, ozone and fumigator machines is the solution to consider. For these reasons, attempting to decontaminate a home yourself is strongly discouraged.