Types of Water Damage Clean Up
When dealing with water damage to a property, it is often best to hire a team of professionals to perform the cleanup process. When water damage occurs, the water penetrates through all permeable surfaces and encourages the growth of mold and mildew. Professional water damage specialists have been well-trained on how to remove the water and damage to your property, and reduce and eliminate the growth of molds and mildew. You can perform water damage cleanup, however you will not be able to salvage as many of your possessions as the professionals can. Making the decision on who should perform the cleanup should be based on the extent and type of water damage that your property and possessions have sustained.
When water damage occurs, it is critical to dry all wet items throroughly within 24 hours time. You must first stabilize the environment in the drying area to ensure there is no further growth of mold. To stabilize the environment, you must ensure the area is well ventilated, devoid of water and the area must be structurally sound. Drying inhibits the growth of mold, as mold thrives in wet, humid areas. Some items, such as carpet padding and several types of furniture, will not be able to be salvaged no matter how well they have been dried. If an item is unable to be cleaned thoroughly, it should be discarded. One exception to this rule is paper goods. Important documents and books can be salvaged if they are treated properly during the drying process.
The next step is to begin cleaning the items that you have determined to be salvageable. The cleaning is not intended to be sterilization, but removing debris and soil from items. Clean every salvaged item as best you can, removing as much dirt and soil as possible. Repairing your water damaged items is the next step in the process. You will want to ensure that the items that you have cleaned and dried will be able to be put to functional use in your home. Repair may need to be done to your possessions to make them useful again. After the repairs have been made to your items, you will want to sanitize everything that has been affected by water damage. Disinfecting items will ensure that all disease carrying microorganisms have been destroyed, and will not pose a serious health risk to you and your family.
