Tips To Clean Up And Restore Your Home From A Water Leak
Water damage inside your home is one of the worst types of home damage because of the nature of moisture. Water follows the path of least resistance, which is along your floors and into every room it can reach. And this can cause damage to your flooring, drywall, furnishings, and anything left on the floor. To help you best manage the situation and begin to restore your life back to normal, here are some tips to help you clean up after water damage in your home.
Manage Electrical Components
When you first discover a water leak or standing water in an area of your home, the first thing you need to do is make sure the area is safe from electricity and the risk of electric shock. Water is a conductor of electricity, and you don't want electricity being another problem in addition to the water damage. So, unplug any electronics that are in the area, and if you are able to, shut off the electricity to the room or the house via the main power shut-off. This will also help save your electronics from damage if they have not already been ruined in the flooding.
Use a Pump and Fan
The next course of action is to remove all the water from the interior of your home and dry out the area. Rent a commercial-strength water pump to remove any standing water. You can also use a carpet cleaner to extract the water, or a shop vacuum will have similar results. For a large amount of water in your home, you may want to contact a local water restoration company to help you with the clean-up.
You will also want to dry out the area as quickly as possible, which you can do with the use of a box fan. Set up the fan or fans within the wet area to move the air around and dry the surfaces. If you have shut off the electricity to the area you can restore the power to run the fans, especially since all the standing water has been removed.
Clean Up Area
The last process you will need to take care of is to remove any mold growth that has formed as a result of the moisture. Wipe off visible mold growth from any surfaces with a wet rage. You should follow this up by spraying the affected area with a solution of 10 percent bleach and 90 percent water. Let this air dry on the surface to eliminate any remaining mold.
