Whether the water damage is caused by a burst pipe, rainstorm, or flood, you will want to recover and get things back to normal as soon as possible. If the damage isn't major, then you may want to handle the clean-up on your own. Unfortunately, dealing with water damage isn't as easy as it seems. Here are three of the things you need to be aware of when attempting to deal with water damage on your own.
Know How to Categorize the Damage
Water damage can be separated into different categories depending on the type of water you are dealing with.
Category 1 damage is usually caused by water from pipes, water heaters, steam lines, and clean rainwater. Because the water is clean, this damage is less dangerous and easier to handle. If you are dealing with Category 2 or 3 damage, then this poses serious health risks to your employees and customers. Recovering from this type of damage will require specialized skills and should be left to the experts.
Understand the Extent of the Damage
Dealing with water damage is difficult because you can usually only see a small portion of the actual damage. Oftentimes moisture is hidden within the walls and flooring of your property and, if left untreated, can quickly lead to mold. This is why it's important to investigate the damage to see just how extensive it is. Once you know how far damage extends, you must act quickly to remediate it.
Establish Proper Ventilation
Your first reaction to water damage may be opening up your windows to help things dry out. However, this is not recommended because you are exposing your property to unpredictable conditions. So, keep your windows closed and instead use air movers to do the drying. You will likely need one air mover for every 15-25 square feet. If moisture density is particularly high, then you may need more.These are three of the things you need to think about when it comes to water damage on your property. Do you need help rebuilding after serious water damage? If so, then contact Nikki Fox at Parkwest General Contractors at Nikki@ParkwestGC.com. Our dedicated team is eager to assist you with all your building upgrade needs today.
