Flood

4 Immediate Steps to Mitigate Water Damage

The difference between saving your house from water damage can be as little as only a few hours. Should you find yourself at home with water pouring out of your sink or a leaky pipe, here are the first steps you need to take to keep damage and loss to a minimum:

1. Avoid Hazards

Electricity and water are extremely dangerous when combined. If you know where your breaker panel is and can access it, make sure to flip the breakers to any area affected by the flooding. Additionally, water can create slip hazards on both carpets and floors, so take your time or avoid the areas entirely. And, if your toilet gets backed up, steer clear of any sewage that may be spreading throughout the house as the bacteria contained can be harmful to your health.

2. Stop the Flow

Assuming it is safe to do so, stopping the flow of water is one of the first things you need to do. If you have yet to locate the source of the leak, call us through our emergency line and we can help walk you through how to do this — 907-344-1239. It is critical to make sure the water flow stops as soon as possible!

3. Call For Help

Whether it is the middle of the night on a weekday or during the weekend, call Taylored Restoration’s emergency number (907-344-1239) for 24/7 service. Our staff will always pick up the phone, ready to help you start mitigating damage while our team gets dispatched to your location. As soon as you call us, we’re on our way.

4. Remove Furniture

Any furniture that is in or near water needs to be removed to avoid additional damage. It is important to note that wooden and metal furniture may receive stains that are either difficult to remove or permanent. However, 95% of damage caused by flooding can be restored. The remaining 5% can be avoided by removing furniture that is in or near water as soon as possible. If the furniture is too large to move, or you have no additional space, placing something under the legs to get it out of the water will be just as good.

What to do After Water Damage

What To Do:

  • Contact a plumber or contractor to repair damage (i.e. replace pipes or fix your roof).

  • Contact Taylored Restoration to remove standing water and inspect damages.

  • Call your home insurance company.

  • Unplug and remove any small electrical devices currently located on or around wet surfaces.

  • Place aluminum foil under legs of wood furniture, especially antiques, which may permanently stain carpets.

  • Hang draperies and pin up furniture skirts to prevent contact with wet carpets.

  • Remove books, shoes, paper goods, fabrics, potted plants, or other items that may stain carpets. (Be sure to check under beds and in closets).

  • Remove and secure breakable, moisture-sensitive, or high-value items.

  • Make plans for restoration teams to remove large furniture items onto dry carpet, linoleum, a garage, or other storage areas.

What Not To Do:

  • DO NOT use your home vacuum to collect water. You may get shocked as a result or damage the equipment.

  • DO NOT place newspaper on wet surfaces, as newspaper ink transfers easily and can stain surfaces.

  • DO NOT walk on wet surfaces more than necessary as you can slip or spread damage further.

  • DO NOT activate your HVAC system if it has been directly contacted by water as it could spread contaminants further throughout the house.

  • DO NOT adjust indoor temperature unless instructed to do so by a qualified technician.