Water is essential for life, but when it gets out of control and covers areas around and in your home and property, it can cause serious damage and also lead to adverse health effects. Restoring areas of your home after a water disaster has occurred is necessary, and it is important that you complete restoration in the right manner with attention to proper details. Here are some recommendations and cleanup tips associated with water damage restoration in your home and around your property, so you can restore your home after a water disaster.

Evaluate the Damage Level

There are many types of water damage that can happen, with various levels of damage to your home and possessions. When you discover a water leak, flood, or damage from moisture, investigate to determine how serious the extent of the problem is so you can repair all areas of the damage. 

For example, if your basement has suffered moisture damage from excessive groundwater that has seeped through the foundation slab, you may only need to replace the flooring and repair the foundation issues. If your home has been inundated by flooding from a river that formed in the street in front of your home after excessive precipitation, you will have a bigger problem. Your entire ground floor and basement may need to be cleaned of harmful flood water and disinfected to prevent microbe infection. The damage can include all the flooring and any items on it and several feet up along the walls.

Consider the Type of Water

Another element you need to consider with a flood event in your home is the type of water involved and where it originated from. Some home flooding may come from a broken water line, where water has saturated an area inside your home. Because this type of water is clean and does not microbes or chemicals, you only need to worry about the cleanup of water-damaged items and the potential for mold growth. 

However, if your water damage is from a broken sewer line, a toilet back-up, or flood water from outside, the water can contain many dangerous elements. Sewage in your home contains harmful bacteria and needs to be cleaned up fully and sanitized, which a local water damage restoration professional can complete by following all recommended safety protocol for a full cleaning and disinfection. 

If you are dealing with water damage that has come from dirty water, such as from your sump pump or washing machine, you know the water is not clean and contains some contaminants but does not include sewage. With this type of water cleanup, you need to clean all surfaces thoroughly and remove moisture, so you are safe from any chemicals in the water and future mold growth.

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