Water damage restoration services Chicago can be extremely detrimental to just about any property if you don’t act in haste. The trick is to locate and identify water damage as soon as possible to eliminate costly fees and destruction of property and valuables.
If you don’t know what to look for, you could literally stand there, scratching your head and staring at puddles wondering what happened. Wet materials start developing mold after only 24 hours. You need solutions. You need answers to your questions. You need to alleviate any further concern over the water damage issue you’re facing.
Water damage can be extremely detrimental to your home if you don’t act quickly. You must be able to identify water damage as soon as possible to avoid costly fees and destruction of property.
Try to educate yourself with these quick and easy tips to get ahead of a water damage problem before it happens:
What Is Water Damage?
In general, water damage can be defined as water that destroys your home due to flooding, leaky roofs, broken pipes backed up plumbing, or clogged drains. It can lead to irreparable damage if not addressed quickly, such as mold growth, rotting wood, de-laminated materials such as plywood, etc. Depending on point of entry and the pace of the drip or flow, the damage may be slow and minor if coming from water spots, or it could be instantaneous and catastrophic. Either way it will signal trouble if not dealt with immediately. In most cases the damage goes unnoticed for long periods of time. By the time it is discovered, real damage has occurred and needs to be addressed by a professional water damage restoration company.
Different Types of Water
Unbeknownst to many, there are 3 different types of water you can find in your property. The first type is ‘clean‘ water that comes from rain, leaky pipes, condensation, and so on. The good news is it’s fairly harmless and easy to clean up on your own. The second type is ‘gray water‘ that comes from appliances like dishwashers or washing machines, toilets, etc. It’s also easy to clean up yourself but be wary of the contaminants involved. These can be somewhat toxic if on the skin or possibly even inhaled. The third type is ‘black water‘ that comes from serious floods or even sewage. It contains waste and serious bacteria, so you will need to hire a professional flood restoration service to clean it up. This is the third layer or worse degree of water damage that can occur. Many consumers try to do it themselves at this level and make so many mistakes in doing so. It is a meticulous cleanup with a combination of equipment, and the right chemicals to lay the matter to rest appropriately and by industry safe standards.
Inspect for Mold
Aside from obvious signs like pooling water and spots on ceilings, mold is the tell-tale sign of water damage. Once it becomes visible to the eye, or detected by the smell, it has gotten too far along. Mildew and mold can develop as soon as 24 hours in the right conditions and can be found anywhere moisture is present. It’s typically indicative of humidity issues or small leaks. Generally, older properties can carry just the right mix for a moldy environment, but really, any property can develop mold from water intrusion. Especially drywall, wood, cloth, and other porous materials.
Inspect for Water Stains
Stains or slight discoloration anywhere on your walls, ceiling, or floor most likely indicate leaks from your roof or walls. Check the trim, corners, baseboards and wainscoting to see if there is any indication of moisture damage. If you’re inspecting these surfaces, be sure to look behind furniture where walls and ceilings or floors meet.
Feel for Soft Surfaces
The wood behind surfaces in your home is usually the first to show signs of water damage. Warped surfaces and soft spots can indicate leaks that aren’t immediately visible. Buckling or cupping floors is a very clear indication of water damage.
Listen for Dripping and Strange Noises
The sound of dripping may be obvious, but properties with water damage can make some deceptive noises as well. Sounds like scratching or rushing can indicate water damage, so when your house is at its quietest be sure to listen for anything like this. Never take those sounds for granted. Early detection could mean saving lots of time, energy and resources.
Water Damage Restoration Services Chicago
Water damage can cause health issues for your family and irreparable damage to your home or business. Bacteria, mold growth, and compromised surfaces and structures are all dangerous effects of water damage. Look for any of these signs and be sure to act quickly, not putting it off, before matters get worse. The best way to prevent a disaster from happening is to perform preventative measures to your property regularly! If a business, assign a responsible person(s) to perform a regular check of these areas monthly at least. This way you can get ahead of any small issues that can later turn into larger ones.
In most cases, the larger the space, the greater the risk of extreme water damage and flooding issues should a pipe burst, or a backup occur. Commercial water damage, therefore, can cause exponentially more damage as the water has a wider girth of travel distance. Cracks where water can enter creates pools, or pockets of stagnant water that can fester and start to smell over time. Needless to mention the supplies, equipment, and other items that become waste or destroyed property from the water damage incident. We have seen many large facilities get hit with heavy water damage and flooding as a window was left open, or the rain came down so heavy it created spaces to enter through faulty roofing or backed up drain spouts. It’s a responsibility of all on the team to keep an eye and an ear to ground, so to speak, to detect issues that can become potential havens for water damage or sewage backup. Many companies have posted scheduling of this important assignment, along with a checklist of things to do and look for. It might seem quite tedious to do so, but it can certainly prevent a very costly incident from happening. Essentially, there is no fool proof way to control water and how it will behave. One heavy rain could take place, and nothing happens from it. But, at just the right moment, and with the right circumstances, water can easily get out of control and find its way into areas that can cause extensive damage. It makes all the sense in the world today, to prepare for disasters to happen. To go along and not have a disaster restoration plan in place is asking for trouble. Many companies have found that they averted a, what could have been a business-changing disaster, into one that was easily manageable because of careful forethought on what to do should a water damage restoration need occur.
If it does occur, another thing that can help to head off delay, is having a restoration company’s information ready and easily accessible. This might seem like a pitch, but really, when the disaster does occur, you want a company that can get to you fast, and someone who is reliable with a good reputation. So many customers wait weeks on end to get a restoration company out to their place to get the work done, only to find all too often, that chicago water damage restoration services are booked out 3 weeks to a month or beyond. What does that mean for you and your property? It spells disaster at its worst. Because every hour of delay causes the deterioration of your property and valuables. It fosters the environment for mold and other nasty bacteria to start the process of eating away at porous materials. To add to the demise, sometimes, not always, but on many occasions we find that insurance companies and their adjusters can also snag forward progress when it comes to handling expediently any flooding, water damage, or sewage backup, while they take their sweet time to comb through the policy and fine print. While many insurance companies are usually on top of their clients’ needs, some lag behind in the race to get someone out (i.e. adjuster, field personnel) to look over things and manage a claim. Why is this the case? Because of the rise in claims these days due to natural disasters and emergencies that occur from outside sources. Natural disasters are happening everywhere these days. No property is clearly safe from a disaster possibly taking place. Best to be prepared. Know how to move forward. Know how to get things done expediently. Have a game plan in place to try to mitigate a bit faster some of the damage(s) that can occur.
While we hope that this never happens to you. It’s certainly easier to put if off as if it won’t. That could be very costly to take the willy-nilly attitude that it won’t happen to me. Don’t wait until it does. Be ready. If you find that you are in need of a professional water damage restoration services company to get you back on your feet, call The CleanUP Guys today. We have helped hundreds upon hundreds of clients get their property back to normal quickly.