Tips for Water Damage Repair

In many cases, water damage repair means calling in a company to repair the damage caused by flooding because it may be too excessive to tackle by oneself. There are however things that need to be done right away when a house has experienced major water damage. Here is what can be ascertained and done before calling in a cleaning company to do water damage repair:

Figure out what kind of water is in the affected area. This is something that a company needs to know beforehand if they’re coming out to clean up. The safest water that one can deal with in a flood is clear water. This is just rainwater that has come into the house and is the easiest to clean up.

The second kind is called greywater. This is water that may have contaminants in it, but is most likely made up of water combined with some kind of dirt. Chances are that it won’t hurt anyone, but if you want to clean up yourself, you will need the proper protective gear.

Finally, there is black water and if that sounds ominous, it’s because it is! This is water that contains sewage or other waste and bacteria and is very dangerous to clean up. When it comes to this type of water, it really is better to call in a water damage repair company right away.

Look to see if there’s any mold in the house. This is something to point out to a water damage repair crew right away and is best to have mapped in the home before they even arrive. They are professionals, but being able to point out where mold is that they might not see is always a plus. Wear a breathing mask when doing so, though, just in case.

Inspect the siding. The external siding can be affected by flooding as well, especially if the water damage was caused by flooding or heavy rains. On the outside of the home, it’s important to look for any areas where the siding appears damaged or it looks like mold is growing out of it. Yes, in some cases the siding simply might have a bit of mold on it from the elements, but it’s always better to be safe rather than sorry.

Call your insurance company. Even in cases where a person already knows what kind of coverage they have for flood damage, it’s still important to call up the insurance company before calling in a water damage repair team.

Homeowners have called in people, certain that the insurance company would write a check, only to find out they didn’t have the right kind of flood insurance, or that the type of insurance they had would only cover a small part of the cleanup. So, no matter how sure one is of their insurance company, call first to make sure that all the rules are followed and you have all the coverage needed.

Following these basics will make life easier not just for the damage repair company, but it can also cut costs and make the cleanup faster for everyone involved.