A Checklist for Water Damage Repair, Flood Damage and Everything in Between

The first thing you should do in the event of flood damage and water damage in your house is, call for professional help. Once a great amount of damage has made its way into your house, there is usually no way of getting things back the way they were unless you avail the help of a certified and professional cleaning company.  The deal with flood and water damage is that both destroy wood, wall, upholstery, furniture, carpet, and virtually anything it comes in contact with. It results in mold formation, bad odor, stains, and loss of property. Getting the help of professional cleaners will guarantee you better recovery of your properties and your house. These cleaning companies also offer rug cleaning, upholstery care, carpet cleaning, tile grout cleaning, pet and spot stain removal, and even janitorial services.

Next thing you should do is to turn off your electricity. This is the basic safety measure everyone should know. Kill the electricity while you wait for the professionals.

Next on the list is to turn off the source of water, if possible. This will, of course, prevent any further damage on your carpet, upholstery, floor, wall, and furniture. Long exposure of your house to flood water or water from burst pipes sometimes result to unrecoverable property. If you can, try to move your furniture, carpet, and other items exposed to water, out of the affected area. Take them to a dry place as best you can to keep them from being totally destroyed. Leather upholstery and vinyl upholstery are items that need immediate attention because they are valuable and more difficult to fix.

Ask for immediate extraction of water from your carpet, furniture, drywall, and other impacted areas. Your professional cleaning company will do this for you, of course. But remember, never use a vacuum cleaner to extract the water. This does nothing for the recovery of your house and furniture. It will also destroy your vacuum too.

Now, some items may probably be beyond repair, but knowing the type of water that damaged your house and all its items will save you time and money. There are three types of flood water; clean, gray and black. Clean water is usually water that comes from burst pipes or overflow from the sink or tub. This is the least dangerous among the three and is the easiest to manage. Flood damage is caused by gray and black water. Black water is water from floods, gray water comes from dishwashers, toilets, and washing machines. These two types of water are unsanitary and are very damaging to your walls, hardwood flooring, furniture, carpet, and upholstery.

Document the extent of flood and water damage. Take note and pictures of the damages not only to help the cleaning company, but more importantly, it will help you with insurance claims.

In cases when the flood water is not expected to subside anytime soon, the next best thing to do is leave. Flood damage results not only in damage but also health risks. You can get an infection, an allergic reaction (possibly from fungi and mold spores), or an injury. Lock up your home and leave in cases of prolonged flood damage.

The cost for professional cleaning services would depend on the service you will ask for. A small apartment (2 bedroom, 1 bath) can cost about $74-$100. A  single story home would cost about $300, while bigger houses would mean spending about $100-$400. Standard packages would include carpet cleaning, rug cleaning, spot stain removal, and tile grout cleaning. Some special services are odor and mold removal, and pet stain removal. It’s always convenient to have the number of a professional cleaning company at hand. You never know when you’ll need them.