Water damage is something no homeowner or business owner wants to experience on their property. Not only is it a frustrating and stressful encounter, but it can be a costly expense and put your valuable belongings in harm’s way — including your health and the property’s structure.
Some of the most common causes of water damage in the home or business include burst or leaking pipes, faulty appliances or fixtures (such as toilets, showers, washing machines, dishwashers, and water heaters), clogged gutters, severe weather, and blocked drains.
As much as we wish water damage didn’t exist, it’s more common than you’d think and is an inevitable occurrence in any property. No matter how hard you try to avoid it, you’re bound to come face to face with it eventually. That’s why it’s best to be prepared for that moment.
Being prepared for water damage doesn’t always include fixing and restoring it yourself. In fact, water damage restoration and flood damage cleanup is something best completed by a professional — especially if you want the job done right the first time around. Here’s why:
Most homeowners don’t have the right equipment
Water damage restoration requires much more than a fan and some towels. It requires professional equipment that most homeowners don’t own and aren’t willing to keep handy in their home or business — especially if water damage isn’t something they deal with frequently.
A professional restoration company has access to air movers, air scrubbers, moisture meters, dehumidifiers, flood pumps, and much more when working their way through the water damage restoration process. Not only that, but they know how to properly use this important equipment.
You might neglect to fix the source of the problem
Anytime you experience water damage in the home or business, there’s going to be a reason for it. Water damage doesn’t appear out of thin air and it’s not something that happens randomly. Unless the source of the problem is investigated, detected, and diagnosed, it won’t go away.
That’s what makes a professional restoration company so valuable. Using the equipment we mentioned previously, such as moisture meters and thermal imaging cameras, they can properly find the source of the issue and prevent water damage from occurring in the future.
Not all water damage is clean and safe to deal with
When most people think of water damage, they think of tap water that comes from a sink or water damage that comes from rain. What most people don’t think about is water damage that comes from sewer backup — which can contain harmful bacteria, fungi, and chemicals.
Not only do you need to know what type of water you’re dealing with, but you need to make sure you’re properly handling that water and not putting yourself in even more danger through exposure. That’s why it’s best to leave it alone and allow the professionals to deal with the issue.
The risk of mold is real
Where there’s water damage, there’s a good chance there’s the spread and growth of mold — especially if the issue isn’t dealt with in a timely manner. Not only does mold pose a number of concerns to the body and structure of your home, but it needs to be cleaned the right way.
Not knowing how to deal with and remediate mold in the home or business can put you, your family, and your home at risk. With a professional, they know how to detect the mold and understand how to stop it in its tracks. Don’t put yourself in any more danger than you have to.
Most homeowners don’t have the experience
In addition to having the right equipment necessary when restoring water damage, homeowners and business owners would also need to have the knowledge and experience to restore it properly. As you can likely imagine, this is something most homeowners simply don’t have.
