When you think about water damage, often you don’t picture the full amount of damage it can cause. Not only can it affect your personal belongings, but it can also cause financial, physical, and emotional strain that no one wants to deal with. It can incur higher insurance rates, decrease the value of your home or business, and health issues can result if left unfixed as mold will begin to grow. That’s why it is important to take the proper steps to getting the issue resolved sooner rather than later. You need to recognize if the damage is something you can handle or if you need to contact a water damage repair Escondido contractor to assist you.
Firstly, you need to respond immediately to the problem. When water has affected your home or business every second counts as the longer it sits, the more damage can occur. Contact a water damage repair Escondido service as soon as you can. If you have homeowners insurance you may want to contact them first for a referral. Keep in mind that mold can begin to grow in certain areas with a day or two so the faster you call someone out, the more damage you can prevent.
Next, if your furniture or other belongings are near the water, you want to get them out of the way. Save what you can so there is less to account for later. If you have clothing that is wet, get it washed and dried as soon as possible. Allowing it to sit will only result in mold and mildew that won’t come out. If you do not have the necessary room to store your dry items then you may want to ask the water damage repair Escondido contractor if they are aware of a inexpensive place to store your things until the damage has been repaired. Depending on your insurance you may be covered for offsite storage.
Then you want to begin a quick survey of your house and your belongings. Insurance companies are going to want to know exactly what has been damaged. If there is still a lot of water around then you may want to ask your water damage repair Escondido contractor for assistance so as not to put yourself in harm’s way. Getting estimates and a list of the damage to the insurance company will help them determine how much to pay for the damage.
Lastly, you want to find out which items need to be completely replaced. Often it may appear to the naked eye that certain items are safe to keep after a quick drying out, but the mold and other contaminants may have already affected it. If you are unaware of the damage that has been done to something internally, you could have later health risks as the mold grows. Your water damage repair Escondido contractor should be able to assist you in determining what must be replaced and what can be saved.
While it may be a tough time to deal with as you see your personal belongings and even memories taking a beating, you must maintain focus and react quickly to any water damage as time means everything.
If you have suffered from a huge storm, you may need to contact your homeowner insurance and request a water damage repair Escondido contractor to come out. Visit Quickdry.com to find out how to get started today.