Water damage is caused by a number of things including flooding, burst or leaky pipes, fire hoses, and regular humidity. Water damage is typically very severe because it impacts every aspect of your home. It can rots the wood in your floors, furniture and walls. It can rust the steel and other metal items. It can de-laminate plywood. It can completely ruin important documents, family photos and memorabilia.
To protect your home from water damage you must first understand the various types of water and the damage it can cause. The three classifications of water that causes damages are Clean, Grey and Black.
Clean Water
This type of water damage does not pose a health risk to humans and is really just incredibly annoying. An overflowing sink or tub or leaky appliance are examples of Clean Water damages.
Grey Water
This type refers to water that contains degrees of chemical, biological or physical contaminants. This can lead to sickness in humans and animals if consumed or exposed. Toilet bowls, dishwashers and washing machine leaks are the most common kinds of Grey Water.
Black Water
This classification contains highly unsanitary agents such as bacteria and fungus which can lead to severe illness. This classification is most rare and comes mainly from sewage, seawater, and contaminated river or stream water.
Water Damage Restoration
Water damage restoration techniques vary greatly depending on the water classification. It is important to know what classification of water you are dealing with before you attempt any restoration projects. If you suspect the water to be of either Grey or Black classification, contact your state environmental protection agency or the water bureau to have your home evaluated.
There are primarily two good techniques used to restore water damaged materials (documents, photos, books, etc).
Desiccant Dehumidification
This restoration process removes moisture from the air quickly and safely, effectively salvaging important documents and helping prevent mold growth. The process involves dehumidifying the air surrounding the damaged documents or personal effect, allowing the water molecules trapped in the damaged items to escape into the air. Desiccant dehumidification is a great restoration option available through some document reprocessing services. It is especially beneficial for businesses and government agencies because the process allows for documents to be accessible for use throughout the process should the need arise.
Freeze-Drying
This process is best for books, binders, and any bound printed matter. Freeze-drying restoration works on a similar premise as dehumidification but in a contained chamber and at much lower temperature. If you can, find a service that offers vacuum freeze-drying as this process will not warp the way regular freeze-drying can.
Time is of the essence when it comes to water damage. Starting the process of restoring your assets as soon as possible will increase the likelihood that your items can be restored to a usable state again. Additionally, mold can quickly become a secondary effect of water damage if time is allowed to pass. To help move quickly after a flood or other water damage, have an emergency plan in place ahead of time.
Water damage has the potential to ruin an entire business or home. Pre-planning and education coupled with a fast-acting, properly equipped damage recovery team can make all the difference in your life returning back to normal.
~Ben Anton, 2008
A flooded basement may be the result of a number of factors. The more common among these include heavy rainfall, storms or poor drainage which may block the sewer. There are a certain important things to be maintained in your mind while carrying out the entire process of draining and cleaning your flooded basement.
Be observant about the water levels around and act quickly to take the requisite steps to make the flooded basement dry because the molds can grow, multiply quickly thus posing a major flood control health hazard for the people living around.
It's highly advisable to wear rubber gloves and protective clothing including rubber boots and protective eyeglasses to ensure your safety and prevent any untoward happenings when cleaning your flooded basement as flood water contains contaminants which may cause many waterborne diseases including diarrhea.
Switch off the power of the house and unplug all the appliances to remain on the safe side as electrical accidents can be fatal due to accidental contact with electricity while doing the cleaning of your basement from the flood waters. An event like this will turj your flood control issue into a greater flood disaster recovery operation than it currently is.
To drain the water away from your basement, you can use a portable pump which can be had from the market. However, while buying the pump, choose one which best serves your purpose considering the available pumps with different capacities for optimum results. While portable pumps help in draining the water out from your flooded basement, you can remove the remaining water by mops.
Try to remove silt and minor debris from your flooded basement as soon as possible after the water levels recede. Cleaning the basement floors and walls with soap and lukewarm water can further help to make the place free from all sorts of water-borne diseases and infections. You can use the mixture of one tablespoon vinegar, one cup bleach and one to two gallons water to make the basement and surroundings clean and disease free. Sprinkle the mixture evenly all around and let it dry for best results. Do not forget to rinse the entire area with clean water afterwards. You can also use the same mixture for cleaning the furniture and fixtures exposed to flood waters.
Ventilate the affected place to get rid of irritants in the sludge from a flooded basement. Let the fresh air in by opening all the doors and windows. Try to keep the place clean and uncluttered as much as possible. Using a dehumidifier comes as a handy tip for cleaning a flooded basement as it helps in controlling the humidity in the place resulting in its fast drying.
Place the furniture in sunny area after cleaning it thoroughly with the cleaning mixture (mentioned above).
All the above steps can ensure to make the flooded basement clean, disinfected, dry and free from all sorts of water borne diseases. We cannot control the natural calamities including storms or heavy rainfall but we can overcome the after effects of these disasters by keeping our cool and following the above mentioned guidelines to make the place livable again. Of course, we can always get professional help if all our efforts do not bring the desired results.
Both Ben Anton & Wendi Watson are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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