Top tips for water damage restoration

The second type of water is ‘grey water’, coming from dirty, but uncontaminated water, such as toilet and washing machine water. Therefore, it requires more effort and money for water damage restoration than it does for clean water.

The final type of water is ‘black water’. It should not be attempted to restore yourself because of the toxic chemicals and excrement it comes with. The water can come from sewage or from flooding of rivers. This can negatively affect your health if not restored properly.

It’s harder to cleanup, therefore, professionals should be hired to ensure your property’s safety from the water damage and for your own health. Click here to read about how to avoid a sewage spill and how it can affect your health.

2. Drying out water damage

The longer water and damp is left, the damage becomes more serious. It is ideal to start drying after the water has been extracted and within 24-48 hours.

By using air movers to dry out the area and belongings, you reduce the risk of more serious damage. It is best to hire a professional dehumidifier and air mover or to instruct a flood restoration company like CPL t/a Rainbow International to come and do this for you. The point of this is to extract all remaining damp and water from the property to get it back to its original and safe state.

3. Looking for mould and mildew

Once mould and mildew begin to grow, it spreads fast and is very hard to remove. In most cases if it spreads, items and areas might have to be removed as they’re unsalvageable, such as materials like wood and other fabrics. By finding mould and mildew quickly, the more likely it is that you can assess it and stop it from spreading further.

Both mould and mildew are toxic and can cause serious health issues if not dealt with correctly. In cases like this, professional companies are the most experienced in removing mould and mildew effectively and efficiently, to prevent it from spreading.

4. Remove unsalvageable items and materials

Any porous items or materials will be damaged, such as drywall, carpets and fabrics and could get worse once mould and mildew start to grow. Since these are more than likely to be unsalvageable after water damage, it’s likely they will have to be thrown away. Therefore, assess what is worth saving and what is not.

5. Decontaminate

It’s always the safest option to hire professionals like CPL t/a Rainbow International to decontaminate the property, as it may not be safe for you to do so yourself. However, if you do attempt to do this yourself, use good quality decontaminating products, like bleach and strong disinfectants.

At CPL t/a Rainbow International we are experts in dealing with water extraction, water damage and a wide range of flood and leak restoration related issues, with nearly 20 years of experience. To find out how we can help, give us a call on 0800 030 4360.