How to Prevent and Mitigate Flood and Water Damage
What Are Water Safety Tips? With all of the wonderful weather we have been having recently, coupled by the fairly active hurricane season, along with the typical afternoon thunderstorms … excess moisture, lots of humidity, and a rainy season can all contribute to flooding, water damage, and a toxic mold infestation.
Water damage and /or flood damage is a common problem that occurs in most buildings and homes at some point. Water damage is typically caused due to floods, leaky pipes, over flowing toilets, overflowing bathtubs, poor drainage in basements, septic backups, leaky roofs, etc.
Common places that are susceptible to water damage- bathroom sinks, kitchen sinks, toilet area, inside of attics, ceilings and inside of walls after a leaky roof, basements, etc. The water also disrupts the electrical system leading to fire outbreaks and can also cause electrocution These damp areas tend to encourage humid and moist conditions and are prime breeding grounds for mold. Mold comes in many colors but are usually greenish, grey, and/or black and grow on all organic surfaces that are damp from moisture and humidity and left unattended for a short period of time.
What Are Water Safety Tips | Flooding, flood damage, and mold-
Mold growth is favored by these humid conditions. They reproduce through spore formation. Exposure to mold leads to many hypersensitivity reactions, allergic reactions, and severe health problems. These include nasal congestion, wheezing, coughing, infections, and skin irritations. Molds can cause nasal congestion leading to shortness of breath, asthma, and severe respiratory illnesses. The homeowner should always check for signs of water damage and leaks should be repaired immediately .Prolonged dampness, water damage from rain, excess humidity, moisture, and condensation- encourages mold breeding.
Tips to mitigate flood damage and water damage-
- Annual roof and attic inspections. Fix and repair damage.
- Fix leaky or clogged gutters and rains
- Inspect faucets, plumbing, pipes, and fittings for leaks.
- Check windows and door jams for cracks, damage, and signs of condensation. Remove, repair, and caulk any cracks.
- Inspect outside walls for cracks and repair.- Check drainage systems around home
- Install trench drains to divert hydrostatic pressure from home or building.
- Check septic and drain field
- Inspect your dishwasher, sinks, refrigerator, water heaters, bathrooms and ice maker regularly for leakages.
- Turn off you main water supply line while going out on a vacation
- Know where the shut-off valves for water supply to your home is located
- Don’t live in a flood zone 😉
What Are Water Safety Tips | Cleaning up flood damage
- Use a wet shop vac to suck up excess water quickly.
- Use mopping and blotting to remove as much water as possible
- Keep all arts, photos and fixtures in a safe place.
- Open drawers, closets etc for faster drying
- Remove rugs from wet carpets. This will help prevent color saturation
- Set indoor temperature around 70 degree F
- Dehumidifiers can be of great use
- Let the subfloors, slabs dry out completely before you replace the insulation
- Get carpets steam cleaned and disinfected
In addition all rooms should be properly insulated and ventilated. This is very helpful in basements and bathrooms that are often humid or moist. Also adequate ventilation should be encouraged by using fans, opening up windows to encourage fresh air circulation, dehumidifiers, attic and crawl space fans where needed, and adequate bathroom ventilation.
Water damage repair should be carried out by expert water damage restoration companies. They specialize in restoration services and may even provide mold removal services if your home is already infested. Furthermore, make sure that the company is qualified with the right chemicals and tools to combat any mold they encounter. Early repairs prevent further damage while saving you money on any major repairs.
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