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Recommendations if You Have Water Damage in Your Phoenix Home

Water damage in Phoenix is very common

Water damage is one of the most filed property damage claims in Phoenix. That may surprise some, but when you think about it, it really isn’t that surprising at all. Consider the fact that there are more than 600,000 housing units alone, each with plumbing as a water source. Not to mention all other types of structures and buildings. Most water damage occurrences are the result of a plumbing failure. Some are small and some are large enough to cause millions of dollars in damages.

There’s a good chance you’ll experience a water damage situation at least once in your lifetime. Be it large or small, knowing exactly what to do in this situation can make all the difference in the world. It can literally save you thousands of dollars in repair costs and content replacements.

Recommendations When Faced With Water Damage

So what do you do when faced with a water damage situation? There are numerous factors to consider when determining the proper steps to take. for the sake of this article, we’ll try and keep it as simple as possible.

Recommendation 1:

WHEN IN DOUBT CALL A PROFESSIONAL! We are available valley wide 24 hours a day; 365 days a week. Just call (480) 201-9265 and we’ll be happy to assist you.

Recommendation 2:

Safety First and Always! If your situation is relatively small, and you’re feeling up for the task, this is the FIRST and MOST important step. Buildings have two things, that when mixed, can make for a potentially deadly scenario; water and electricity. If electrical shock is a potential hazard in your situation, be sure to shut the power off at the main breaker before entering wet areas where electrical sources are submerged/affected.

Other safety hazards to consider are slippery surfaces and collapsed ceilings. One should also consider the “type” of water present and if there’s a possibility for the presence of bacteria and/or viruses. Such water can be the cause of a sewer backup or actual flood waters from outside the home. Two examples of flood water are irrigation or heavy rains breaching a door or window to your home.

Once ALL safety hazards are identified and properly addressed it’s time for the next recommendation.

Recommendation 3:

Secure Contents and Personal Belongings in Order of Priority. Everyone’s priority levels will be different so it’s best to take inventory BEFORE you’re faced with a water damage situation. Take a look around your home and see what’s directly on the ground. This includes footings of furniture and drapery. In a “ground level” water loss, these items are typically first to be affected. For example, books or paper documents, shoes, clothing, or items stored under beds. Ask yourself, if there were an inch or two of water on the ground, would these items be ruined? If the answer is yes, a plan of action should be made.

Recommendation 4:

Remove as much “standing water” as possible. DO NOT USE ANYTHING THAT ISN’T MEANT TO SUCK UP WATER!!!! Such as a household vacuum. A few examples of things you can utilize (if the water is “clean” water) Wet-dry vac, mop and bucket, or towels and rags. If there’s a lot of water you may need to employ the help of a professional. We have high powered portable water extraction systems to remove any amount of standing water at a fast rate. If you just want your water extracted we’d be happy to assist.

Recommendation 5:

Assuming your water damage is extensive enough, an insurance claim may be a valid option as a means to repair. However, because all policies are different, and because all losses are different, it’s advised to discuss your situation’s details with your AGENT BEFORE you file an actual claim. Discussing things with your insurance agent first may save you the hassle of a denied claim and the headaches that usually follow. Most of those headaches come in one financial form or another.

Recommendation 6:

Get Things Dried Quickly. This may seem like an easy thing, but, it can prove rather difficult without the proper tools and equipment. Drying wet building materials and contents requires more than a placing a few fans around and letting them run for a couple days. Without knowing what is wet and how wet it is, and being able to monitor it, it all becomes “guess work”.

To prevent mold growth from occurring, a specific environment needs to be established. Having a thermal image camera, moisture meter, thermal hygrometer, and other tools help to establish just that. Some stores rent this equipment to the public, but they’re far and few between. Even if you can get your hands on them, you still have to know how to use them AND understand what the data means. When in doubt, call us out. Our water damage technicians are experts at moisture mapping, gathering psychrometric data and applying this info to the situation to create a balanced drying scenario.

Conclusion

Water damage is not something to take lightly. Structures (no matter the type) Water Damage Repair Company Phoenix, AZare generally large investments, and should be treated as such. Therefore, when something threatens to diminish the value of an investment, it’s always a benefit to take the necessary steps to get things back on track. This goes the same for the health implications for those who occupy these structures. It’s never a good idea to gamble with one’s health/life by not dealing with such damages quickly and most importantly correctly.

As stated before, we are here to help the property owners and residents of Phoenix and it’s surrounding cities with any water damage situation. Just pick up the phone and call. If our assistance is invited, we can be onsite ready to work in 60 min or less (most cases).