Hello World!  Welcome Friends!  If a flooded home was not a nightmare already, cleaning up after a water damage can top all the worries. Water removal is nothing less than a terrifying scenario you wished it never turned true. 

Water damage is a misery that loves company in the form of mold growth, rotting wood, soaked upholstery and carpets, destroyed electric appliances, spoiled food, and sleepless nights. Not only water damage can ruin your insanity but it can also rock the foundation of your home. For instance, if the water has been stagnant for too long in your basement, it can slowly erode the rocks and soil of the foundation, which can eventually lead to structural shifts or worse, structural collapse. 

Don’t worry if all the above looks frightening because there is a silver lining, always. You can use some of the following tips to clean up water damage and restore certain things until professional help arrives. Knowing what to do without panicking is essential, especially if you live in an area where you may have to wait for few days for help.

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Tips to Clean-up While Waiting for Professional Help

• Your first focus should be drying your home to prevent mold attack. Mold growth is the most horrendous effects of water damage, which can cause potential health risks etc. 
• Open up your windows, doors, and employ cross ventilation. Switch on ceiling fans, table fans, or any fan that accelerates the airflow.
• However, before switching on electrical appliances, go through the wires and switchboards to ensure that the water has touched none of them. If the flood is two feet deep or more, we recommend you to pull out the power cords and turn off the main electrical supply.
• Throw away extremely wet carpets and padding. Mold growing microorganisms target dark and moist areas first. So remove wet things from around the house, put them under the sun to dry, and discard the ones that are beyond restoration.

DIY Clean-up Tips

These tips would come handy if the water damage is not huge. Instead of calling help, you can take the following self-help tips for water removal:

• Dry your home, carpet, rugs, mattresses, etc. with a dry/wet vacuum cleaner or electrical sump pump to remove standing water.
• Rent a dehumidifier to remove excess moisture from your home. This will prevent mold growth.
• Throw away perishable food that was touched by the water and remove or discard damaged carpets and paddings.
• Throw away items that cannot be disinfected, such as wooden and clay crockeries, cosmetics, stuffed toys, baby products, pillows, books, paper products, and wallpapers.
• Remove drywall and insulation affected by the flood.
• Clean hard surfaces with vinegar or baking soda, detergent soap, or sanitizers to prevent germ growth. Apply a thin layer of bleach on the entire surface and let it try naturally. Spray solutions on fabrics and soft surface to avoid water runoffs.
• Wear rubber gloves, boots, respiratory masks, and eye goggles while cleaning and disinfecting.
• Wash all your clothes that came in touch with floodwater.

These tips are simple recommendations for trivial flooding and water damage. For bigger cases, you must hire a professional to remediate the floodwater damage.

Click the links below for any posts you may have missed!

Furniture, Lighting, and Hardware Plan for the Entry Hall

Maintaining your Carpets

Commercial Relocation

How to Select the Best Baseboards

Hot Water Issues

Roofing and Construction Contractor

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