As we approach summer, we are starting to hear the emergency calls that start with “I came home to find…”. It may be that a faucet was left on and ran for an extremely long time. May the toilet never quite finished flushing while you were away. Some smaller plumbing leaks become quite large if no one is there to see them for a while. Some larger losses also occur when people are home. Maybe a water heater burst. Those older models hold a LOT of water. Maybe you have a front-loading washer, and the door popped open while running. In any case, when large amounts of water are spilled in your home, you need help right away. Okay, here's what homeowners (customers) need to know about dealing with large water losses in their homes:
The first thing you need to do is take action immediately. Time is not on your side so you cannot afford to wait before acting. Before you do anything else cut off the water! If you know where the water comes from such as a burst pipe, overflowing appliance or something else and it is safe to do so, shut off the water supply to that source. If you don’t know where it is coming from or it is not safe, turn off the main water supply to the house immediately. You really need to know where your main shut-off valve is before an emergency happens. If water is near electrical outlets, appliances or other sources of electricity, do not touch anything near the water and do not wade into any standing water. That situation is extremely dangerous and must be handled by a professional. If it is safe to reach the breaker box without any water around it, you can turn off the electricity from there, but it is still not safe to wade into water exposed to electrical sources until cleared by a professional. Once the water is safely cut off, contact a reputable water damage restoration company, like ServiceMaster of Gwinnett and ServiceMaster 5 Points, immediately. We provide 24/7 emergency services. Water will continue to damage your home or business until it is addressed, and the longer you wait to start mitigation, the higher the risk of mold growth.
There is nothing more valuable in a home or business than the lives that live or work there. Safety must come first. Standing water and electricity are a deadly combination. Do not step in or touch ANY water that may be in contact with electricity. This includes electrical outlets, power strips or extension cords, power cords for electrically powered items, fuse panels and anything else that has electricity running through it. Water can saturate drywall, ceilings, and floors, making them heavy and potentially unstable. Ceilings can collapse, and floors can become weak. Be cautious moving around affected areas. Wet surfaces are slippery. Move carefully. We have heard stories from our customers about slipping on wet flooring or wet stairs and falling. Depending on the source of the water, the affected areas and any remaining water could contain bacteria, viruses, and other harmful contaminants. Avoid contact with this type of water as much as possible. Even water from sinks or washing machines contain contaminants despite what many people think. Water from a supply line like a refrigerator water line or a faucet supply line is initially less hazardous but can become contaminated quickly as it mixes with building materials.
Water causes a lot of damage that is not readily visible upon initial inspection. In other words, water damage is more than just a wet carpet or a puddle on a tile floor. Water quickly soaks into porous materials like drywall, insulation, wood framing, flooring (carpet, hardwood, laminate), upholstery, and personal belongings. Water travels in the direction that is the easiest path to follow – wicking up walls, seeping under baseboards and flooring, getting trapped in wall cavities, behind cabinets, and within structural components. Professional equipment is needed to find this hidden moisture. After the water is stopped, secondary damage begins to occur. The water that soaked up into and behind all those building materials will weaken and warp the material and create the perfect environment for mold to begin growing. Just because it was easy for water to get into a wall cavity or under a cabinet or flooring does not mean it is easy for water to get out of there. Mold growth can begin within 24-48 hours in damp conditions. Mold can cause health problems and further damage to materials. Wood and other organic materials will begin to rot if they remain wet. Metal components (pipes, wiring, structural fasteners) can rust and corrode. Drywall can swell and disintegrate, flooring can warp or buckle, adhesives can fail.
So, once you have had a water loss in your home, water damage mitigation is needed. This is the process of drying out your home to prevent, or mitigate, further damage from the water. Professionals use moisture meters, thermal imaging cameras, and other tools to determine the extent of the water intrusion, including hidden moisture. In today’s DIY environment, many people get their own meters to check moisture, but there is more to tracing the path of water than just reading a meter. Experienced water mitigation technicians know what to measure and know how to interpret the readings correctly. Water damage restoration trucks are equipped with high-powered pumps and vacuums to remove standing water. Industrial air movers and dehumidifiers are strategically placed to remove the remaining moisture from the structure and air. Air movers are specialized devices that provide high volume directed air flow, but our customers typically call them fans. This process can take several days. During that time, we will check the drying progress to adjust as needed to fully dry affected areas. Affected surfaces and belongings are cleaned. Antimicrobial treatments may be used to prevent mold and bacteria growth, especially if the water was contaminated. Severely damaged materials such as soaked drywall, insulation, and warped flooring often need to be removed and replaced. It is especially important to remove these damaged materials so that any cavities that may have pockets of trapped moisture are exposed and can be dried during the drying process as well.
Once you have stopped the water and are getting help, you need to reach out to your insurance company. Smaller losses can usually be a judgment call, but large losses can be quite expensive to restore so almost everyone files a claim for this type of loss. It is important to do it earlier rather than later because they need to confirm coverage and be ready to discuss the scope of work and approvals needed after the water damage mitigation technicians have done their initial evaluation. Know what types of water damage are covered. Standard policies often cover sudden and accidental discharges like a burst pipe but may not cover damage from gradual leaks, seepage, or flooding (flood insurance is a separate policy). They may also specifically not cover losses from specific sources such as sump pump failure or tree roots in sewage lines for example. Take photos and videos of the damage before extensive cleanup begins if it is safe to do so. A good mitigation company will also document the damage with photos, but it is always a good idea to take your own as well. Keep receipts for any expenses incurred because you may or may not be reimbursed if you have receipts, but you will 100% of the time not be reimbursed if you cannot produce proof of purchase. The insurance company may send an adjuster to assess the damage. For smaller losses, they sometimes do not perform a site visit but rather use the documentation from the mitigation company to determine the size and scope of the damage. For larger losses, a site visit is almost always required. Your restoration company often works directly with the adjuster regarding the scope of work and costs. ServiceMaster of Gwinnett and ServiceMaster 5 Points are on programs with most insurance carriers, but we work with all companies to correct your problem. See our Insurance Page for more information about claims with the major insurance carriers that we work with regularly. You will be responsible for paying your policy's deductible. Usually, it is applied toward repairs. This works for the customer because most people do not have this money ready to use at a moment’s notice and applying it to repairs means customers have more time to get ready for this expense.
There are health concerns whenever there is a large water loss in a home where people eat and sleep every day. Mold exposure can trigger allergies and respiratory issues. Bacteria and contaminants in water from the loss can cause illness. The stress of the event itself can impact well-being.
In summary, homeowners facing a large water loss need to prioritize safety, act extremely quickly to call professionals, understand that damage extends beyond what's visible, and communicate promptly with their insurance provider. Time is the enemy when dealing with water damage. Help yourself to address these needs quickly by calling ServiceMaster of Gwinnett or ServiceMaster 5 Points. We are available for emergency appointments 24 hours per day every single day of the year including holidays. Our technicians will be able to quickly assess your damage, so you understand what is needed. They promptly get to work so your home is on the right path to proper restoration. Since we work with insurance carriers daily, we can help you quickly get the insurance adjuster updated on the scope of damage and what is needed for your water damage restoration. This helps keep everyone fully informed and helps reduce your stress since we provide the proper photo documentation, scope of work and documentation to the insurance company for you.
