Whether it's minor damage from a pipe bursting in the bathroom to a whole-home flood, water damage in your home can be financially devastating. Unfortunately, misinformation about the steps to take after water damage or a flood can make an already bad situation even worse. Help protect your home and family and restore the look of your property as quickly as possible by clearing up these common water damage restoration myths and misconceptions.
You Can Save Money by Renting Equipment and Cleaning Up the Water Yourself
In an effort to save time and money, you may have decided to rent a carpet shampooer, open some windows, turn on a dehumidifier, and clean up the standing water and water soaked into carpets all by yourself. Unfortunately, while you may be able to eliminate a small amount of standing water and create the illusion that your home is completely dry, there is another aspect of cleaning up after a flood or water damage that is more difficult to perform: preventing and eliminating mold.
Mold can grow quickly and begin to spread within hours after the water damage occurs to your home. Even if you eliminate the mold you can see on the walls and flooring throughout your home, there will still be mold lurking in hard-to-reach areas. Hire a professional water damage restoration company to ensure that all the water and mold are eliminated from your home.
You Should Wait to Hear Back from Your Insurance Provider
Contacting your insurance agent after the event is a top priority. However, you should never wait to hear back from the insurance agency about a quote or if your damage is covered before you begin eliminating standing water or restoring your home after a flood. Your insurance provider can take days or weeks to offer you a damage quote, and by this time, the level of damage will worsen, and you will spend even more to restore your home.
You Cannot Salvage Water Damaged Carpet or Hardwoods
Finally, many homeowners believe that once large areas of carpets and hardwood flooring get wet, they are unsalvageable. Luckily, if the damage is minor and if you hire a water damage contractor immediately, there is a great chance you can dry out and save your damp carpet and hardwood flooring.
From the idea that you cannot save your carpets and hardwoods to the notion that cleaning up water damage yourself can save you money, when it comes to residential water damage restoration, there are several common myths.
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