Help! What Do I Do If I Have Water Damage? – Part 1:

Have you experienced some type of water damage to your property?

Many people go their whole lives without experiencing any type of water damage at all. Although, statistically, it happens quite frequently. When it happens, the type and extent of the water damage can vary. You could experience anything from a small drip related to a roof leak or under the sink to a busted water heater or toilet supply line. Regardless of where the water came from, here are some things you can do to improve the situation:

Step 1 – Shut off the water supply:

The very first thing to do, especially if there is a lot of water, is to shut off the water supply. Depending on the source of the water, there could be a specific shut-off valve; toilets, water heaters, and sinks will often have their own shut-off valves. However, the best bet is to shut off the primary water supply valve. This valve can be found in front of your home near the street.

We recently responded to a water damage claim in Keller, TX. The supply line to the bathroom sink came loose and quickly flooded the bathroom. Thankfully, the home owners responded quickly by turning off the valve to the sink before more water could escape; this easily saved hundreds of dollars in damages and kept them from having to file an insurance claim!

Step 2 – Remove standing water

The most important step in water remediation is to extract (remove) as much water as possible. Water restoration professionals have special equipment for extracting large amounts of water. However, there are still things you can do to remove water and minimize damage before the restoration company arrives.

A)  Shop-vacs, mops, towels, or even buckets (hopefully you don’t have that much water!) can all be useful tools for water removal.

B) If the water damage was the result of a drain backing up, make sure you don’t dump extracted water into that same drain!

These are just a couple of things you can do to improve the situation after a water loss. Of course, we still recommend calling in professionals to fully assess the situation and create a dry out plan to return your property to its pre-loss condition.

If your property experiences some type of water damage or flooding we are always standing by and ready to help. Don’t wait, follow the steps above and call us immediately at 817-302-2090.

Ryan Rainey, MS – PuroClean of Keller