When water enters your home or property, it could do significant damage. This is why it is always recommended that every person must always take measures to prevent water. But, in the unfortunate event that water has already seeped through your home, there is nothing much left to do except to salvage what you can and make sure everybody is safe.
Here are some simple guidelines on how you can deal with water damage to various household items:
Floors and Walls
Keeping them dry will help to avoid molds and rotting. You can utilize a de-humidifier, vacuum cleaner, or high-powered fans to hasten the drying. If the floors and walls are really soaked in water, you may need to replace them completely for health reasons, as bacteria and fungi thrive on moist environments, and could double in number every 15 minutes.
Appliances
Many electronic items and electrical appliances can still be saved as long as they are turned off before getting exposed in water. As soon as it is possible to do so, take them out to dry in your yard. Some appliances may need to be taken apart so that wires and circuits that may be wet could also dry up.
Furniture and Mattresses
Wooden furniture pieces need to be exposed to heat immediately to prevent dry rot and further damage. Remove sofa and bed covers and hung them outside, however, if dirty water has soaked your mattress, such as in the case of toilet valve leakage, it is better to throw them away for health reasons.
Carpets and Flooring
This is perhaps tiring work but when carpets and vinyl flooring are soaked in water, even just a little, you need to make sure they are dried completely. It may be a good option to hire a clean-up service to this for you if you don’t have the means to do it yourself. There are instances when carpets and vinyl flooring will need to be taken out because drying them with vacuum cleaners and fans will not be enough.
Vehicles
Don’t even assume that your car is exempt from water damage. Floodwaters could easily penetrate it so don’t make the mistake of not checking your car for any signs of damage. Check the trunk, dashboard, under the seats, and glove compartment for damage in the forms of mud, rush, or silt. Upholstery and carpeting are prone to water damage too and may fade or stain; if you smell a musty odor inside then it means there is mildew or molds, and this is a strong indication of water infiltration. It may be best to send your vehicle to a mechanic so that they can properly diagnose the extent of the damage and fix it.