Last Updated on September 13, 2023 by admin
What is Water Damage Inspection?
Water damage is basically the loss of water because of water intruding in places where it will induce the attack of a material or a system with the help of destructive processes like growth, steel rusting, wood rotting, delaminating of plywood etc. It has the ability to create mold, if not treated soon. The damage may be impossibly slow and minor like water spots which could destroy a surface, or it may be sudden and disastrous like a burst pipe or even flooding. Regardless of its speed, water damage is a major contributing factor to loss of property.
Water damage inspection is called the ‘first step’ towards restoring your home or business entirely, in a way that any signs or evidence of past water damage are no longer visible. It’s a well-established process which determines what has caused the damage, how widely it has spread and how it can be dealt with. Their assessment covers crucially important aspects which can impact your safety and also the property’s infrastructure. You get a clear summarized report of the losses and details required for filling the water damage insurance claim. Once this is done, professionals repair water damage.
Why is water damage inspection important?
Water damage if left unattended for more than a short while can lead to moisture in the walls, furniture and other appliances, hence aggravating the problem. So, water restoration becomes important and an utmost priority, so that the professionals repair water damage. And in order to understand the areas of restoration, the costs, the expected time and other crucial details, an inspection gains core importance. Additionally, the sooner the water effected areas are inspected, the lesser the cost and effort taken to fix them. Finally, the best benefit that water damage inspection has to offer is that you get professional and expert advice on what’s going on in your house or property and how you can fix it.
Water Damage Assessment Techniques to Help You Save Money
‘Time is money’ is a statement which can be used very aptly to describe the effects of water damage. So, how can you get an inspection done and have professionals repair water damage without paying a massive amount? Here are a few ways to help –
1) Keep costs down by stopping the source of water damage immediately! Shut off the sources, turn off the power in the affected areas. Remove the rugs and furnishings from the room. So, the most cost efficient and easy thing to do is to stop the drainage at the source itself.
2) Contact the professionals immediately! The sooner they get to the drying out and restoring of the area, the less damage you’ll face; the lesser the damage, the lesser will be the cost.
3) Don’t let smaller issues become bigger, because if they do, you will face more loss.
4) As mentioned earlier, you don’t get a lot of insurance for water damage because not a lot of companies provide you with it, but it is another way for you to save money. So, before getting an insurance, enquire about water damage compensation.
5) Electrical appliances could be submerged in the water and be beyond repair. DO NOT test them by plugging them because your wiring could be damaged and this could lead to a severe shock and in worse conditions, a fire. So, discard all the cheap electrical items and get the expensive ones fixed at a specialist company.
6) Prevention is better than cure; it’s also cheaper. So, try preventing water damage in all ways possible; conduct routine maintenance on your home, keep your roof safe, make sure the windows and doors are fitted well. Clear and clean the gutters and drains around your house of debris and watch for any signs of leaks. Lag your pipes to avoid them freezing and cracking. If you’re going away for a long time, turn off your water supply.
7) You can also seal and caulk materials to help minimize future water problems.
8) Replace your siding before it starts to rot.
9) Underlayment and padding are very susceptible to water damage and they must usually be taken care of. You can remove them or you can opt to install new, waterproof floors. Ceramic tile, for example, can help protect floors.
10) Warped, rotting, moldy wood needs to be replaced. Clean thoroughly beneath the damaged boards before you replace them.
11) Ceilings are at risk due to gravity; they can sag or even collapse. So, remove the affected ceiling panels first. Find the source of the leak and make sure that there’s no structural damage to the beams or rafters.
12) Remember to inspect for mold; it can grow in as little as 24 hours and you need to be very careful about it. Some mold can be toxic for humans and all mold is damaging to the materials infested by it. If the issue is serious, shut down airflows and call a professional.
13) Porous materials (carpet, insulation, fabric, unsealed cement, drywall and wood) get damaged permanently by water because they shrink and warp. So, you may have to cut and throw them away.
Conclusion
Water damage is a lot of things: dangerous, expensive, risky. From the list of given tips, there are many which you can do without the need of a professional, like caulking, throwing away material etc. But, when it comes to bigger damages, dents and harmful mold, professional repair water damage in a way that the common man can’t. However, since professional assistance is also very expensive, one can always resort to preventing the occurrence of water damage at all.
Author Bio:-
Aimee Grace
Aimee is a marketing manager at EZ Plumbing & Restoration. She is very passionate in writing about discrete plumbing services and leakage detection as well as repair solutions. Her vision is to educate people about the consequences of water and slab leaks at home or office and what they should do to repair them to avoid further water damage as well as property damage.
Innovations have paved a way for smart devices to lead a convenient life. The plumbing industry is no different but only few people know about various tools used to fix the leakages. Stay tuned with the recent articles to know all about how to find water damage, slab leak, clogging, and ways to repair them, installation of new HVAC appliances in San Diego.
Apart from this if you are interested to know more about Your Carpets Wiped Clean After Water Damage then visit our Home improvement category
