If you get water damage in your Fort Worth home, whether it’s from an external source such as a flood or an internal source such as a burst pipe, it can be a nightmare. Not only will the water itself cause a ton of damage, but it can also have long-term effects if it is not cleaned up properly. Doing water damage restoration the right way is key to ensuring that you don’t wind up with hidden long-term damage to your structure. Here is an introduction to water damage restoration and how to do it properly.
The first thing you need to focus on when you have a water infiltration incident is that the water in your home gets removed promptly and properly. If you do the work yourself, you need to get as much standing water out as you can using cups or buckets, and then use a wet vacuum or other similar machines to suck out as much water as you can. It’s a good idea also to use a dehumidifier if you can find one to take as much moisture out of the air and out of surfaces as possible. If you hire a professional company to do the work, which is probably the best idea, make sure you hire a firm that specializes in water damage restoration.
The next step in your water damage Fort Worth restoration journey is to throw out anything that is porous and soaks up water. This includes carpet and the padding underneath, furniture, insulation, and drywall. Things that can be laundered, such as linens and curtains, can be kept. When it comes to drywall, if part of a wall gets wet, you can cut away the water-damaged part and keep portions that have stayed dry. If water got into electrical sockets or phone and cable jacks, it’s safest to have those replaced.
Before starting any renovation work, you need to be sure that everything has totally dried out. This includes wood framing as well as anything else that could retain moisture. Use a moisture gauge if you can get your hands on one. Using fans for several days in the affected area will help to ensure everything is totally dry. Once you are sure that everything is completely dry, it’s also good to clean any surfaces in the water affected area with either a bleach solution or a commercial cleaner that is specifically meant for mold. This helps to ensure you won’t have any hidden mold growth caused by the water damage in your home. It also is an important cleanup step if you have had water from outside in your home, since you don’t know what substances might have been in that water.
It’s a good idea to have any renovation and restoration work done by a professional contractor. That way you know it’s done right and will look as good as new. This can include things like replacing drywall and trim and installing carpet or other floorings. If the water damage was bad enough, it might include replacing parts of your framing as well.
Water damage Fort Worth is not something anyone wants to deal with, but it doesn’t have to be the end of the world. Many homeowners have dealt with the problem successfully and had no long-term issues. The key is to deal with the problem as quickly as possible and do the mitigation work the right way. That helps to ensure you don’t wind up with mold or other issues.