1) Act immediately

Once you see any signs of water damage in your home, it is imperative that you take action right away. Many homeowners tend to wait until a small leak becomes a major leak and at this point, you will be looking at major bucks to make these repairs. We want to avoid turning a minor cost into a major cost. Make a phone call to a licensed plumber, family contractor or somebody you may know who can troubleshoot the situation. 

 

2) Turn off the electricity 

If you have a major plumbing leak such as a pipe bursting, you want to make sure you turn off the electrical to the house. As we all learned at an early age, water, and electricity just do not mix. Before you walk into a room that is flooded make sure that you turn off that good old electricity to avoid any major injuries. 

 

3) Get rid of the water

Now, this may seem like an obvious tip but once you get the leak under control, you have to begin removing the water. The longer you let the water sit, the better chances you have of creating mold and mildew. There are several different ways to remove water depending on how serious the water damage or leak is. 

• Standard buckets & paper towels

• Mops

• Extract water into drain (if not full) 

• A wet/dry vacuum

• Septic services for large leaks

 

4) Dry out the affected area

Just as important as it is to remove the water, we have to dry that area out right after the water is removed. Depending on the severity of the issue, will determine how we need to dry out the spot. For this, we recommend that you use fans and humidifiers and open the windows to move through the air through the building.  If the area that has been affected is drywall, you will have to remove all of this drywall because eventually it will crumble and the paper backing has the ability to cause mold.

 

5) Disinfect the area

Before you decide to move back into this area where the water damage was located, you will need to use a disinfectant in order to get rid of any bacteria that may still persist. Disinfect all areas affected by the flood waters, including walls, wood, and non-upholstered furniture.  Try an EPA-registered mold and mildew disinfectants such as Tough Guy disinfectant spray or Diversey cleaner and disinfectant

 

6) Keep the mold out

Now that we have removed the water, dried out the area and also disinfected it. It is time to make sure that we see no more mold growth. Apply Concrobium throughout the affected area according to directions. Concrobium is a non-toxic product made with distilled water and inorganic salts that stop mold from growing. Once a thin layer of Concrobium is applied, let it dry overnight. As Concrobium dries, it forms a thin layer over any mold that may be growing, which crushes the roots of the spores. Spraying it also prevents any mold from growing, and provides continued resistance to mold.

 

7) Dispose of damaged material responsibly

 It may be tempting to throw everything into a dumpster and send it all away. But organizing damaged goods into piles and taking whatever possible to recycling centers will help alleviate pressure on your local landfill. Go to the management website for the city or town to find out where to recycle old paints, stains, adhesives and other toxic liquid, as well as damaged electronics, furniture and even drywall.