How To Clean Up Water Damage After A Pipe Bursts
Plumbing accidents, such as burst pipes, often leave a big mess. Skilled plumbers will perform necessary repairs to get plumbing working well again, however it will be up to you to clean up after the water leak and dry things out. Water can cause serious damage, and so your cleanup efforts should start as soon as possible after the event.
For flooded areas with small exposure, usually limited to one room, performing the clean up yourself may be the best option. If a water leak has affected multiple rooms, traveled from an upper level to a lower level of the home, or has been left unnoticed for more than 8 hours, professional water mitigation and specialized drying equipment may be necessary.
Step One
Safety must come first. If the leak happened near any electrical appliances, make sure power to the home is shut off while you clean.
Step Two
Remove soaked carpets, furniture and other removable items from the area that was flooded. These items may not be salvageable, depending on how much water they absorbed.
Step Three
If water remains on the floor, use towels and a mop to dry the floor. Alternatively, you can use a wet-dry shop vac to remove the water. If you don’t own one, you might be able to rent one at your local hardware and home improvement store.
Step Four
If weather permits, open doors and windows in the home to bring in fresh, dry air. Bring fans into the area and turn them on to their highest setting.
Our last two steps are more advanced methods for drying your property. If you do not feel confident in your ability to fully dry the water damaged areas, contact a professional restoration company.
Step Five (Advanced level)
Purchase, rent or borrow a portable dehumidifier. Place it in the area most affected by the plumbing disaster. It will remove moisture from the air and dry things out more quickly than fans alone. You will need to keep an eye on the unit and empty the water collected, usually located in the back, as soon as it is full.
As a rule of thumb, if you see that water has seeped into the sub flooring or the drywall, the safest step would be to contact a professional restoration company. They can help remove or restore items that would otherwise develop mold. Contact our home remodeling experts at Prater Construction in Joplin today!