Having to deal with water damage is never easy or fun. Water can destroy just about anything and everything in your home, given enough time.
One of the biggest problems with water damage is that it can go on undetected for a fairly long time, and by the time you realize that you have a problem, a lot of the damage has already been done, and you are left with fixing the damage.
Even then, be careful to be thorough because, as water damage experts at Emergency Home Solutions of Orange County say, water leak or flooding is never the worst part of water damage. Here’s what they suggest you pay attention to.
Mold
The number one problem for post-flooding homes which have not been remedied properly, mold can do quite a lot of damage on its own.
Mold thrives in damp and dark corners and can cause some serious medical problems to residents of your home, as well as some structural damage to the house itself.
It is always useful to have a mold expert come in and inspect your home after you have experienced flooding.
Various Noxious Chemicals
If your flooding didn’t come as a result of a burst pipe, but rather from an outside water source, you may need to have your home tested for chemical contamination.
If you had any kind of industrial run-off water or water which is used for agriculture, there is a chance that it contains some fairly toxic chemicals which you don’t want in your home and around your family.
Once again, there are experts you can contact to find out if there is anything to worry about.
Biological Contaminants
Similarly to the chemicals problem, depending on where the flood water came from, you may be faced with a variety of biological contaminants such as viruses and bacteria, as well as some parasites like worms and insects.
The most common source of these contaminants is the sewer water, but it is possible that outside water is contaminated as well.
You need to ensure that you have removed all of the water, that you have dried everything inside your home and that you have disinfected the place thoroughly.
Structural Damage
If the water damage is quite severe, or your home was under water for a really long time, you might be having structural damage to worry about, on top of everything else.
As the vast majority of American homes are made of wood, and wood is not very good at resisting water, have a structural engineer or a house safety inspector come in and take a look at all the key parts of your house – walls, foundations, beams, and even the roof need to be vetted by a professional before you can consider them safe to use. Water damage experts suggest you don’t take too long to resolve this issue, because the problem can only get worse over time.
Electrical Problems
We all know that water and electricity don’t mix too well. That is why you need to be extra careful when trying to use electricity in a house which has recently been flooded.
The best-case scenario is that you will blow a fuse or damage an appliance. However, it is possible to start an electrical fire, or even electrocute yourself if you are not careful.
Having an expert come in with their equipment and knowledge is the safest way to inspect whether the flooding damaged your electrical installations.
Make sure that the person you hire is a licensed electrician because you are trusting them with your home and potentially with your life on this matter.
Facing a flooding is a terrible thing, but your work is far from over when the water recedes. You need to make sure that your home was not damaged in the process, and that can take some time and effort, but it is certainly worth it.
