Before Help Arrives

Water Damage - What To Do Before Help Arrives

Water in your home or business can be a very stressful event, no matter the amount. The unfortunate part is that even a little bit of water can lead to more stressful and expensive repairs down the road. Fortunately, we have 20+ years of experience and you can rest assured that you're in good hands.

When you first discover water in your home or business one of the first calls you want to make is to a water damage company like ours to begin the water mitigation process. The longer you wait, the higher the risk to secondary damage and other water related issues. Before we arrive there are a few steps you can take to improve the situation:

1. STAY SAFE!

Your family's or staff's safety is a top priority. If water reaches any electrical components or outlets you should leave the area immediately. Never wade in standing water as you may not know the source of the water and it could contain harmful bacteria and diseases. You also increase your risk of electrical shock unless you're 100% sure that the power has been shut off.

2. REACH OUT TO YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY

Make a call to your insurance agent or to your insurance company as they will be able to tell you if your policy covers the damage and provide you information needed to start a claim. If you do file a claim, be sure to keep track of any names of staff you talked to, your policy number, your claim number, and deductible amounts. We will work directly with your insurance company on the billing and communication end so that is one big less thing you have to do.

3. REPAIR THE SOURCE OF THE WATER

If you know where the source of the water is coming from you should do what you can to stop it. Whether that means: shutting off a main water valve, turning off a faucet, stop using water in other areas to prevent further backup, etc. Once the source of the water has been stopped or repaired we can start removing it. If you need a referral to a reliable and trustworthy plumbing company we would be happy to provide that.

4. PREVENT DAMAGE TO CONTENTS

If you are able to safely do so, we highly recommend you begin moving items that are not wet to a dry area. Electronics and cardboard boxes are easily damaged by rising water and we recommend you make those a priority. We do not recommend you move any wet items as this can cause further secondary damage to other areas of your home or business. When we arrive we'll put a plan of action together quickly to manipulate and move contents for you.

We hope you found this list helpful and that you consider following it should ever experience water damage in your home or business. The main points are to try to remain calm, be safe, start communication, and prevent further damage if possible.