How To Deal With Residential Water Damage

7/8/2019 (Permalink)

Dealing with water damage in an Ogden, UT home

Dealing with water damage in Ogden,UT, can be very stressful. You want to get your home back to normal as quickly as possible, but you don’t want to put your loved ones or yourself in danger.

Types of Water

In general, the source of the water determines how safe it is. There are three classifications of water:

• Clean water (uncontaminated — water from sinks, rainwater, etc.)
  
• Gray water (potentially contaminated — water from aquariums, appliance drains, etc.)
  
• Black water (contaminated — flood waters, sewage pipes, etc.)
  
  

Note that water may begin as one type and become contaminated after it has been exposed, usually within two days. After two days, clean water should be treated as gray water and gray water should be treated as black water.

Treating Water Damage

The restoration process varies depending on the type and amount of water present but generally follows a similar pattern: evaluation, water removal, drying, cleaning and replacement. Pumps and wet/dry vacuums are used to extract most of the water. Then dehumidifiers, air dryers and fans can be used to remove any remaining water. With cases of gray and black water, cleaning surfaces after they are dry is particularly important. Depending on the material, this is done with sanitizing, disinfectant, antimicrobial or antibacterial solutions. After everything is clean and dry, it may still be necessary to replace some things, such as drywall or carpeting. Restoration specialists can help you through the entire process.

Secondary Concerns

In addition to the primary damage, there are other dangers to be aware of when dealing with water, namely electricity and mold. Water and electricity are an extremely dangerous combination. If any appliances or wiring are near the water, do not approach the area until it has been cleared by an electrician. While electrical problems arise immediately, mold takes a little longer, usually two or three days, to appear. Once it does, though, it can spread quickly and further damage your home.
Water damage is a fairly common problem, and with the right equipment it can usually be remediated. However, if not addressed quickly it can lead to more damage.