SERVPRO of Southern Butler County Unusual Flooding Situations to Avoid

6/21/2018 (Permalink)

Wherever Water Flows the Damage Can Go

 You may think of water damage that is bad enough to require intervention only comes from hurricanes or thunderstorms, but many times water damage can come from busted pipes or an overflowing sink, tub or toilet. While the flooding may not result in the same large amount of water, it starts on the inside of the home so there are different circumstances to consider. If your home sustains water damage from the inside, it is just as important that you call a professional water removal company. There are nuances to internal water damage that are starkly different from water damage as the result of a flood.

One case in which an inner water damage event could occur is if you have a busted water pipe under the sinks. Even the best laid plumbing plans can result in a pipe busting. Now, you may think of a frozen pipe busting in the cold of winter, but that’s not likely. Not to say that it couldn’t happen, but it is not likely. Most leaks are going to be caused by a simply jar or movement of the drain pipe. Older homes are more likely to sustain this type of water damage, although new houses are often not worn in enough for the contractor to be aware of a loose joint.

Here are a few steps you can take if your house gets flooded by faulty pluming.

• Open windows in the house to vent moist air out. Put as many fans as you can around the wet spot to accelerate the drying process.
• Remove pools and puddles of water with a wet/dry vacuum. The more water you remove with this method, the less there will be that needs to dissipate naturally. For hard-to-reach places, mop the water up and send it down the drain.
• Turn on one or several dehumidifiers to remove the water from the house. Dehumidifiers work best in enclosed areas, so close windows when they are in use. If the water is confined to a certain area, such as a bedroom or bathroom, place the dehumidifier inside and close the door. Remember to empty the water tank on a regular basis.
• Use your HVAC system as a giant dehumidifier. Cool the house down with the air conditioner. The air conditioner is made to remove humidity from the air, so by cooling the house down, it is also sucking the moisture out of the air. When the house has cooled, turn the heat on until it reaches 80 degrees. Warm air evaporates and holds more moisture than cool air so by doing this, you are saturating the air with moisture. Once 80 degrees has been reached, turn the air conditioner back on to remove the saturated air from the house. Repeat this process until the house has dried.

To avoid damage to your home, furniture or valuable items, you must take some steps to ensure that you don’t return home from grocery shopping one day and find your living room covered in water. You also don’t want to ignore inner water damage. You may think that simple bleach will kill mold if it grows, but that is a myth. Bleach does not kill black mold. If the water was on the surface long enough, the evaporation can penetrate the walls and ceiling. Even if it was a thin layer of water, mold can grow, and it can grow quickly.

You will want to consistently check the drainage pipes under the sinks to ensure they are tight and connected. This helps you to feel safer when you leave your house, knowing that the pipes are tight. Another way to ensure you don’t have leaks is to systematically check the toilet to make sure it flushes correctly. I know this sounds cliché, but you never know. It would be safer if you check out everything often. Sometimes a small child can throw something into the toilet and it will clog, then they will flush and run away like bandits.

If you try everything and take the steps above, and still feel that the damage may be deeper than you know, like under the floor boards or in the walls, call a water damage professional immediately. It’s so important to stress to you that mold is the bandit you want to avoid. Water that interacts with air indoors, can cause toxic, dangerous mold spores to form. Be smart and be safe.