December 25, 2010
Water Damage, Its Causes And Effects
One of the biggest threats to your home or business is water damage. Your water supply in your home or business could be contaminated which could produce health problems for those in your home or office. To successfully prevent water damage, you first need to understand what the leading causes of water damages are.
The most common cause of water damage is poor plumbing. Poorly installed or loose pipe joints could cause leaks that are undetectable. It is extremely important that all pipe connections are checked and any attachments are done so properly. And if you are experiencing problems, calling in an expert will be money well spent.
Household and office appliances are another cause of water damage. Air conditioners specifically in hot climates are prone to leaks. Air conditioners need to be watched for leaks frequently. These leaks can cause mold and structural damage to your home or business. Dish washers, washing machines and freezers can also cause the same type of damage.
The effects of water damage can be harsh on your home or office and severe to your health. Imagine, after living in your house or office for a decade or so, if there is an undetected leak. Water has the ability to destroy any type of material, whether it is metal, wood, cement. Mold will form increasing the risk of sickness in the space.
After you understand the effects and causes of water damage, you need to know how to prevent them and save your home or office. If you have a leak in your faucet, dish washer or your toilet is overflowing, people would just try to temporarily fix the problem, but it usually results in the leak continuing. What people do not understand is that by not properly dealing with leaks, the problem becomes worst.
How to deal with it.
The primary source for decay within a house is due to water damage. The damage it can cause on a house can lead to the breakage of wood, the contamination of water systems, and the rusting of metal. Water damages are usually found by bathroom, kitchen, and laundry areas. Freezers, toilets, showers, and the like should be maintained properly and regularly to prevent any sort of damage.
To help avoid water damage from destroying your home or office, one tip would be to have an inspection done immediately when you find water spots. If you live in an area that gets heavy rain, one tip would be to install a sump pump. A sump pump is machine that drains out all the excess water coming from the house. Also, another helpful tip would be to regularly clean out the gutters, roofs, and external drainage. When the gutters are clogged this creates water blockage which could lead to serious problems.
Additionally, you can install water leak detection systems around your home or office to help warn you if an unwanted leak comes up. The sensors in the water alarms are practical because they sense moisture in possible water damage areas. A professional contractor can install these devices cheaply.
The finest tip to prevent water damage would be to maintain and inspect the specific areas in your house which could be prone to leaks or create wet spots. Monthly services on air conditioners, refrigerators, and common household appliances should be maintained. This prevents the appliance’s drain line from getting blocked.
What should you do and not do.
After recognizing what precautions to take when water damages occur, here are a few things you should do and not do regarding water damage. Additionally, here is a list possible problem areas of water damage around the house or office. This list can come in handy if you ever have a flood in your home or office.
The following is a list for the things you should do regarding water damage, first of all you should dry all your things and do it quickly. The humidity level may increase which will retain the moisture in the air if the temperature is high. Humidity can increase the water damage inflicted in your home; to work around this problem you can use dehumidifiers. In order to get all the excess water out of your house you should open all the doors and windows, this will also let the air circulate around the floors and furniture.
The greater the effect will be if you allow moisture to remain on a material. That is why you should let your carpets dry under the sun and open all the closets and drawers to speed up the drying process. As for the paintings and other fragile decorations, you can keep them in a stable temperature area. If the temperature is too high or the temperature constantly changes, the materials you are trying to salvage might be ruined because of improper drying process.
Three types of document drying techniques if you can utilize if important documents have gotten soaked, you could easily salvage them by using one of these document drying techniques. One technique would be to seal the film. The documents, such as microfilms and x-ray films, should be placed in a box and sealed. Then, the box needs to be refrigerated at 35 degrees Fahrenheit.
An additional way you can salvage your documents is by freezing them. This type of document drying prevents blocking and ink smears and avoids damaging the contents of the paper. The documents should be covered with plastic liners. Next, these documents should be placed in a box in order to be palletized. Afterwards, they need to be put inside a freezer. Full restoration of the documents will occur once the damage incurred is temporarily stopped.
The other type of document drying requires you to separate vellum and leather bound documents. Since these documents are made out of animal skin the drying process should be minimized at a slow pace. These types of documents are easily and highly flammable. You must be careful to expose the documents to heat.
You can seek the help of professional restoration services to help clean up the minor messes and salvage other important items, after you have done the initial cleanup.
Here are the things you should not do, it is important not to use any electrical appliance right after water damage. You could seriously get hurt and injured because water conducts electricity and is a huge hazard. If you are not familiar with electricity controls, it is highly advisable to let professionals help you out. Do not put your life at stake over money by doing the cleanup by yourself.
When your home or office is exposed to water due to the rain or a plumbing problem, it is important to deal with them to prevent further damage. The initial place you should look for water damage is the roof. The roof is the barest area of your entire house so it would be good to regularly check on it. Be sure to check for leaks or cracks, and patch them. Gutters easily get clogged so remove any debris that can block them. Keeping the roofs and gutters clean will direct water away you’re your house and prevent water damage from happening.
Plumbing systems inside your home and office can be very complicated and difficult to monitor. Most of the pipes are in between the walls and underneath the floors so it is hard to determine when you have leak. If leaks are not immediately taken care of it will grow into a serious problem. By ignoring the problem, not only will you be wasting water but you could also contaminating your water system. This could seriously harm the health of the inhabitants in your household or office. A way to know for sure if there is a water problem is to do monthly checks on your water usage. If a sudden surge appears in your water bill, turn off your water main and look for the leak inside and outside of your home or office.
Areas that are prone to water accumulation should be regularly checked. Plant pots, vases, jars are all liable for exposing the floors and walls of your house thus increasing the chances of having water damage. You should clean the water of these items at least every two weeks and assure that these items are free from excess water.
Also, the prevention of water damages you are creating a healthy environment for your home or office. Water damages can cause various types of molds inside and outside of your walls. Once a leak is visible on your wall or ceiling the moisture will leave a stench filling up the entire room. And the bacteria and germs found in the leak can easily spread to air circulation within the room.
These tasks might seem a bit daunting, but you have to remember that maintaining a stable and clean home, by taking preliminary precautions on water damages now, you will benefit, from what seems like a boring chore, in the future. Having a healthy home leads to having a healthy lifestyle.
Elite Restorations Inc. is the authority in water damage repair in Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Pompano Beach Florida. They have been in business for over 25 years in Florida, and have an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. For information on flood repair For more information: http://www.EliteRestorationsInc.com (877) 999-2906
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