The Do's and Don'ts of Water Damage

4/13/2022 (Permalink)

Knowing what/what not to do when you have water damage can be a big difference in keeping you and your home or business safe.

When you are dealing with water damage, immediate action is crucial. A delay of just a few hours can greatly increase the severity of the water damage. Below are a list of things you should and shouldn't do until help arrives!  

DO

• Shut off the source of water if possible or contact a qualified party to stop the water source
• Turn off circuit breakers for wet areas of the building, when access to the power distribution panel is safe from electrical shock.
• Remove as much excess water as possible by mopping and blotting.
• Wipe excess water from wood furniture after removing lamps and tabletop items. 
• Remove and prop up wet upholstery cushions for even drying.
• place Aluminum foil or wood blocks between furniture legs and wet carpet.
• Remove to a safe, dry place any paintings, art objects, computers, documents and other materials that are valuable or sensitive to moisture.
• Use wooden clothespin to keep furniture skirting off damp floors.
• Hang draperies with coated hangers to avoid contact with wet carpeting or floors.
• Hang furs an leather goods to dry separately at room temperature.

DON'T

• Enter rooms with standing water where electrical shock hazards may exist
• Enter affected areas if electrical outlets, switches, circuit breakers or electrical equipment are exposed to water. Always avoid electrical shock hazards.
• Leave books, newspapers, magazines, or other colored items on wet carpets or floors to cause straining.
• Leave Oriental rugs or other colored rugs on wet wall-to-wall carpets to cause staining.
• Use your household vacuum to remove water, possibly causing electrical shock or damage to the vacuum cleaner.
• Use TV's or other appliances while standing on wet carpets or floors, especially not on wet concrete floors.
• Turn on ceiling fixtures if ceiling is wet or enter rooms where ceilings are sagging from retained water.

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