10 Things to focus on when dealing with a Water Damage Loss

10/1/2020 (Permalink)

Experiencing a water loss can be a traumatic time for you or your business. We put together a free guide of 10 things that walk you through the process of what to focus on if you have a water loss in your home or business. 

1. Assess the situation: It is critical to look over the situation and see exactly what you are dealing with. It is critical to make sure that you take plenty of photographs of the damage and make sure that the source of what caused the damage is well documented. It is extremely important to make sure you do not walk or enter the water if the power is still on in the home or business. At this time it is recommended to check with your insurance company to see what type of coverage you have. 

2. Check was is wet throughout the damaged area: Through the use of moisture meters and other devices, you can begin to see what is wet and what is not. It is critical that you map out the damage and affected area.  This can be an important part of the documentation process. 

3. Begin the water extraction process: The first step after the documentation has begun, is to get the water removed as soon as possible. If the water sits for to long, it can cause secondary damage. 

4. Begin to removed damaged materials that can not be dried and ventilate enclosed areas. Once all of the water has been extracted, certain flood cuts and other vent holes might be necessary. this is to allow air flow in closed off spaces. 

5. Start to place air movers and dehumidifiers throughout the structure. The proper amount of equipment is critical when drying out a structure. It is important to make sure that all of the guidelines of the IICRC are followed to insure proper drying times. 

6. Monitor the drying process daily: Every 24 hours it is critical to make sure that you are checking the facility to make sure that it is drying. Sometimes there might be a delay in the drying process due to the source of the damage not being corrected. 

7. Remove Equipment: Once the home or building is dry, all of the equipment can be removed. It is important to make sure that the right cleaning products are used to clean up the affected area. 

8. Document with more photos: After the job is complete, be sure to document with more photos. 

9. Begin the reconstruction process: Once everything is dry, you can begin to put the pieces back together.  In some cases you might have to hire a contract to do specific tasked like repair damaged drywall from the water 

10. Keep complete records on file: After the entire job is complete, be sure to keep all of your records on backup

Remember to call SERVPRO of Vicksburg & Yazoo if we can help at 601-634-0909!