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Fire & Water - Cleanup & Restoration

How Water Can Affect Your Home

4/29/2022 (Permalink)

When you experience water or flood damage in your Richmond home there are many different ways that the water can cause damage. SERVPRO of Richmond and SERVPRO of Henrico knows that dealing with these losses can be incredibly stressful and we waned to share with you some common water or flood damages to look out for in your home and how the water can affect the different aspects of your home.

Appliances – Electrical appliances can short out when they get wet and gas appliances could be compromised/damaged and leak gas into your home. Be sure to have all appliances cleaned and inspected by a professional before using them again.

Flood Coverings – After severe water damage like a flood, most things like carpet, laminate, or vinyl will need to be removed and replaced. This is particularly true with any backings made of absorbent materials like foam. Small or valuable rugs and are possibly salvageable if treated immediately by a professional.

HVAC – There are multiple aspects to your HVAC. First, the actual units can be flooded with water and electrical components can be damaged. If the flooding is severe enough dirt and mud can be left behind and clog up the system. These should be looked at and thoroughly cleaned by a professional to ensure that they are properly functioning and don’t need repairs. Second, the vents and ducting in your home should be inspected. Contaminants can get into the vents and ducts, and they will need to be cleaned before these harmful materials are blown throughout the home.

Drywall – This kind of material is incredibly porous and absorbs a lot of water. Any affected areas should be removed as even if fully dry, because of how porous they are they can remain contaminated.

Insulation – Fiberglass and cellulose insulation that has gotten wet is considered to be contaminated and should be completely removed and replaced. Foam sheets may be able to get cleaned and put back.

Wood – There are many different kinds of wood in your home and their ability to be repaired or need to be replaced depends on what kind. Hard wood: Furniture and other materials made of solid wood and warp and crack when they absorb water but otherwise have the potential to be saved if dried out quickly and properly. Particleboard & Laminated Wood: Water or flood damage in particleboard and laminate can lead to separation of the pieces and weakening of the structure and will likely need replaced.

Framing and Structural Materials - These materials are made of solid wood and if dried out properly and disinfected should likely not need to be replaced as long as these issues are addressed quickly.

Pipes and Wires – Flood waters can shift pipes and break them or damage electrical sockets and disconnect wires. If these items are damaged in your home, repairs should always be left to a knowledgeable professional to avoid injury or further damage to your home.

As you can see, there are quite a few ways that water can damage your home. While you may feel like it is possible to address these issues yourself, without the proper knowledge it is easy to cause more damage and you could potentially harm yourself. If you’ve experienced water damage in your Richmond area home, please don’t hesitate to give us a call. Our SERVPRO team is here to help 24/7, 365 days a year.

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