Five Damage Tips for Water Cleanup

5/10/2022 (Permalink)

Water can cause extensive damage to a commercial building within a matter of hours. Standing water and residual moisture should be extracted and drying methods used to avoid secondary damage, such as mold growth. Here are five of the most important damage tips for mitigation and cleanup.

1. Extract Standing Water
Eliminating standing water with portable pumps or a wet vac is the first step toward addressing water damage. Water damage mitigation professionals can perform a fast and thorough extraction and provide cleaning tips for building materials and contents.
2. Increase Airflow
Restoration specialists may recommend the use of ventilation equipment such as air movers or fans to promote drying. Ventilation is an ideal drying method after a pipe burst introduces clean water into a structure. Areas exposed to contaminated water for long enough for mold to start forming may be an exception, as circulating air can spread spores.
3. Consider Heated Methods
Heat may be helpful for expediting drying in some situations. The degree of contamination, duration of damage, and affected materials are essential considerations for determining the best drying methods. Restoration experts can offer case-specific damage tips.
4. Lower Humidity Levels
Reducing residual moisture levels in the air and porous or semi-porous materials is helpful after any type of water damage. Mold needs moisture and food sources to flourish. A combination of cleaning, disinfecting, and lowering humidity discourages fungi from growing.
5. Wait Until Drying Is Complete
Rebuilding or restoration should not begin until the portion of a structure that has suffered water damage has been cleaned, disinfected, and thoroughly dried. This includes replacing any building materials torn out due to contamination.
Lowering moisture levels within 24 to 48 hours after water damage is essential for avoiding mold. Trained water damage professionals can quickly extract water and recommend the best damage tips.