Water Damage: Prevention and Clean Up

by Donna Gilles 10/15/2017

It's many homeowners' worst fear to come home to a water disaster in their home. Water damage can cost thousands to repair and will include a lengthy process in order to adhere to safety standards, potentially disrupting your home life for weeks. In this article we'll give you tips on how to avoid water damage and what to do when you discover it.

Water damage vs. flood damage

Many people are unaware of the difference between water damage and flood damage. Water damage can occur when you have plumbing issues such as a leaking pipe or overflowing bath tub. Flood damage, on the other hand, is defined by FEMA as an "overflow of inland or tidal waters, unusual and rapid accumulation or runoff of surface waters," or even mudflow. Flood damage tends to be the more costly and the more dangerous of the two, as it puts home inhabitants at serious health risk. Part of the stipulation in differing between the two types of damage is insurance coverage; water damage is often covered by homeowner's insurance whereas flood damage is not.

Avoiding water damage

To avoid costly and time-consuming repairs, follow these steps to prevent water damage from occurring in your home:

Keep your gutters clean to avoid backups and drainage issues
divert rain water away from your house with downspouts
Disconnect hoses and turn off their water supply when temperatures drop to freezing overnight
Don't leave water using appliances running while you are away from home for extended periods of time
Keep up with maintenance on your dishwasher, washing machine, toilets, and tubs
Turn off your water main when you go away on vacations
Check the water pressure to your home. High water pressure can be nice in the shower, but pressures too high can cause your plumbing to fail
Check regularly for leaks. Some water damage may go unnoticed for weeks or months, which subjects you to another danger: mold

What to do if you have water damage in your home

If it's too late for prevention and you've discovered water damage in your home there are several steps you'll need to take to ensure the safety of your home.

Turn off electronics in the affected area. If possible switch off power to whole the whole section of your home at the circuit breaker. This first step is to ensure your own safety. Once you've turned off power to all potentially dangerous electronics, you can move on to the next step.
Remove electronics and other perishable items from the area. If you remove the items soon enough you might be able to salvage them by drying them out.
Soak up the bulk of the water. You can do this the old fashion way by using towels and buckets. Or you can use a wet/dry vacuum cleaner to suck up the water from rugs, carpets, and other surfaces.
Dry the area completely. To avoid mold, use fans and a dehumidifier to fully dry out the area.
Disinfect. Spray the area to remove any bacteria that may have accumulated due to moisture.
Contact the professionals. A contractor will be able to tell you the full extent of the damage and whether any serious repairs will need to me made.

About the Author

Donna Gilles

Phil Gilles

Direct: 239-425-5423 | Email: [email protected]

Donna Gilles

Direct: 239-425-5426 | Email: [email protected]

Donna and Phil Gilles are two of the most respected Pine Island Florida Real Estate Agents. Their dependability, honesty and integrity are truly a "cut above” in the real estate profession.

Donna and Phil started BlueWater Realty of Pine Island on September 11, 2002, realizing Pine Island was in need of a real estate family that was a step above the mass marketers that dominate the real estate profession. Donna and Phil’s in depth real estate training include: investment management, brokerage, marketing high-end homes, real estate law, ethics and practice.

If your immediate future requires counseling in the purchase or sale of real estate, please contact Donna or Phil. They are professionals who will work hard for you to help achieve your real estate goals.