5 Things You Can Do To Mitigate Water Damage

When a home or business gets damaged by water, the extent of the damage can be significantly reduced by acting quickly and hiring a professional water damage mitigation company. To further limit the damage there are some tasks to carry out while you are waiting for them to arrive with their specialist drying equipment. Here are 5 things you can do to mitigate water damage.

1: Turn Off The Electricity

Turn off the electricity in the affected area unless it is unsafe to do. Once the electricity has been switched off, proceed to unplug and remove electrical items from areas that have been adversely affected.

2: Turn Off Your Water

If your property has been damaged by a leak, it’s crucial that you turn your water off until the leaky pipe has been identified and repaired. Stopping the flow of water helps to limit the damage caused and keep your overall repair costs down. In most properties you can find the shut off valve beside the boiler.

3: Avoid Walking On Carpets

If you have carpeted floors that have been affected by flooding, avoid walking on them as much as you can. As you walk, you will inadvertently be permanently staining the carpet.

4: Pin Up Curtains & Furniture Skirts

If any curtains or drapes are in contact with water damaged areas, you should hang them up around their pole and allow them to dry out. If you have furniture with skirts, start pinning them up or remove them completely from the area to avoid any further damage.

5: Wash Your Hands Frequently

The water that damages your home through leaks and floods is generally far from sterile. If you come into contact with it while carrying out any of the steps on this list, wash your hands. This is especially true if your property has been on the receiving end of flood damage.

Minimise the water damage caused to your home by turning off your electricity, turning off your water, avoiding walking on carpets unless it’s truly necessary, pinning up curtains and furniture skirts and for your own health and safety wash your hands often. Only carry out these tasks if it is safe to do so. If there is any structural or electrical damage, wait for the professionals to arrive.