Water Damage Tips

Safety always comes first:

• If the property is inhabitable, it is not safe to stay there, move to an alternative location. Talk to your insurance to figure out what arrangements they will make for temporary accommodation as your home is being restored.

• It is very important to turn off all the main water and electrical sources within the home. This is an easy way to prevent the electrical hazard.

• Be extra careful about back injuries when lifting wet items, and prevent slip and fall incidents by using flashlights to move around the rooms. 

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Dos and Don'ts after a Water Damage:

• Move to an alternative location if it is not safe to stay there

• Do not return home until it is safe to do so

• For maximum drying, if safe to do so, open doors and windows to allow fresh air to circulate or turn air conditioning on in summer

• If ceiling is wet, do not turn on ceiling fans

• Use a wet vacuum to remove water  

• Do not use your everyday vacuum to remove water

• Remove excess water by mopping or using a pump

• Do not use flooded appliances, electrical outlets, switch boxes or electrical panels until they have been checked by an expert

• Remove excess water from wood furniture, remove wet upholstery and cushions, and remove colored rugs from wet carpeting.

• Do not leave wet fabrics in place

• Remove arts or valuable items to a safe, dry place

• Do not leave books, magazines or other colored items on wet carpets or floors

• Discard any  food that has been exposed to the water source or has an obvious unusual color or odor after electrical outage

• Do not use any of the food items if they have been exposed to the water