What You Shouldn't and Should Do when You Encounter Residential Water Damage

6/5/2016 (Permalink)

The Do's and Don'ts of Residential Water Damage

It happens to many homeowners and even to tenants, at times. Flooding can cause residential water damage in Mt. Juliet to any area of your home. The water may come from many sources, and with extremely rare exceptions, flooding should be treated as an emergency.

Residential water damage only begins with the initial flooding, and with sump pumps, much of the water can be extracted. Mold and mildew can also damage your home and your belongings. These harmful aspects of mold and mildew can continue until the cause of their growth is eliminated. This is why it is imperative to apply the use of more than just a sump pump and a few fans. Doing so might get most surfaces dry-to-the-touch, but it won't be enough to penetrate into the interior of most of the damaged items. This is especially true for walls, floors, and ceilings of the rooms below where the flooding took place. Water damage behind fixed structures such as bathtubs and shower stalls can also hide water that can seep into other areas for months after the initial water damage took place.

Sometimes, water damage results from sewer backup into your basement instead of overflowing from a non-draining sink or tub, or from a leaky pipe. Blackwater such as sewer backup should never be cleaned up by yourself. The health risks involving contact with black water are very high. Water from other sources can also create health problems. Water from natural sources does not contain only natural and non-harmful substances. Heavy rainfall or flood waters can contain oil and gasoline from runoff from nearby roads, residue from garbage, decaying fish and wildlife that have drowned, and many other contaminants.

Professional clean-up should be used for residential water damage, especially for that involving sewer backup or flood waters from rainfall or overflowing rivers and streams. In addition to the always-present risk of electrocution, water can hide many other dangers. You can avoid these dangerous hazards by calling us, SERVPRO of Wilson County at (615) 449-5000. We are experts in eliminating water damage in residential settings and can help you get your home and your family back to normal.