What should I do after a water damage in Washington DC 

 

 

                                                Introduction

 

 

 

Hi it's Jeff with SI Restoration and with my brother Mike we have owned a water damage restoration company for over 35 years in the Baltimore Maryland and Washington DC areas. 

I consider myself an expert of handling over 10,000 water damages in homes and buildings in the Baltimore and Washington DC areas . 

So let's discuss what causes water damage and how to dry the water damaged areas as well as stop mold growth . 

Some of the reasons why homes, dwellings, and businesses experience water damage include (but are not limited to):

 

• Toilet overflows
• Water heater leaking or breaking
• Pipe bursts
• Floods, heavy rains, and storm damage
• Sprinkler breaks/busts

 

First Thing To Do When You Have a Water Damage In Washington DC.

 

Safety Is The Most Important !

 

Safety is the most important part of any project especially when cleaning up a water damage . Many of Washington Homes are over 50 years old and have outdated electrical systems . Electrical sockets are lower on the wall than standards allow which produces the opportunity for electric shock when the water level is at or above the electrical sockets .

 

Many Washington DC homeowners leave wires from entertainment systems that overtime the wires will fray leaving the opportunity for electric shock.

 

 

                         Second Thing To Do When You Have a Water Damage In Washington DC.

 

 

 

Extract as much water as possible out of the affected areas . Use submersible pumps and portable extractors to remove water . Be aware that furniture and walls will release trapped water as the water level has gone down . Don’t stop until all the water has been removed by your water extraction equipment . Don’t use upright vacuums as these are not designed for water extraction .

Sewage back ups and unsanitary sources of water including water coming from outside the home  are a completely different extraction process . Due to possible dangerous bacteria and viruses in the sewage back ups and unsanitary water sources , proper steps must be followed such as :

 

• Always use puncture resistant gloves and boots .
• Heavily spray an anti bacteria and microbial chemical that is hospital grade . Spray it on the sewage water before extracting to reduce but not eliminate harmful bacteria and germs . Never use the extractor for sewage back up or unsanitary source water for other situations in the future. Even the best cleaning and disinfection will not guarantee a healthy piece of equipment and can transfer diseases to new areas .

 

Third Thing To Do When You Have a Water Damage In Washington DC.

 

Rent commercial grade air movers and dehumidifiers to dry out wet walls and wet flooring . Beware that residential grade dehumidifiers that are used for daily use are not designed for drying out materials like drywall and carpet .

 

                              Fourth Thing To Do When You Have a Water Damage In Washington DC.

 

 

If you have wall to wall carpet loosen the carpet and remove the wet pad. Wet pad under carpet will not dry in time and cause mold and mold odors .

 

Pull wall base off the wall and create holes to let air movement from the air movers to dry out walls .

If you have insulation behind your walls ( most outside walls have insulation ) , you must cut the drywall to remove the insulation . Not doing this will guarantee mold growth and further destruction of the walls.

 

 

Fifth Thing To Do When You Have a Water Damage In Washington DC.

 

Test for moisture levels . Your water damaged areas should have the same moisture levels as a non effected areas of your house. Professional water damage restoration companies use GPP reading equipment which not only tells the moisture in the wet materials , but also inside hidden areas such as wall cavities.

 

When Should I Call A Water Damage Restoration Company

 

Small water damages less than a 5 x 5 area that has been effected by water , can be done by a homeowner or non restoration contractor . This doesn’t mean you will avoid hidden moisture areas and have  mold damage , but it’s less likely . Sewage back ups and sewage damage should not be done by a non IICRC certified contractor . It doesn’t matter how small a situation it is .

Areas larger than 5 X 5 ( this is my opinion and not a fact ) , should be performed a IICRC certified water damage clean up company due to the great possibility of missed areas and incorrectly drying materials leading to greater expense, mold related health issues and liability .  

 

My 35 Year Experience In the Water damage Clean Up Industry in Washington DC.

 

 

If I was asked which of the five happen the most , I would have to say toilet over flows . Toilets are the most used plumbing item and although most toilets are built well, toilets do break down or human beings have a tendency to miss use them .

Everything from wax rings that wear down or crack , to flanges that break leading to over flow of water .  Toilets can back up if not used correctly . Toilets due to their position on the floor , not only can cause water damage on the floors around them but also cause water to leak down to the next floor . 

 

If I was asked the second most popular water causing damage , I would have to say pipes and water heaters.  Water heaters manufactures suggest that a homeowner clean the base of the water heater yearly , but I have to admit I don't and neither does a majority of the public.  Water heater without warning can crack or break flowing 100's of gallons of water into your basement and first level . If you have a finished basement , it can cause wet carpet , wet vinyl floors , and wet walls . if not dried correctly can leak to mold growth and ruined materials . 

Pipes are the third most popular water causing water damage source ( again it's my opinion which is the most popular ) .  Older homes have pipes that have just warned out , and new pipes in new homes are not as sturdy as they used to.  These broken pipes lead to wet ceilings , wet walls and soaked carpet . 

Floods and weather related causing water damages do not happen often , but when they do boy are they a mess. What makes these water damage sources different , is that they come from outside . The outside water has to go through dirt, rocks, roofs and concrete . The water carries bacteria and mold spores and other unhealthy issues , which makes the water damage situation even more complex. 

Sprinkler busts or leaks are usually considered by the public as clean water . But that's farther from the truth . You must remember that sprinkler water has water that has been sitting in their pipes for years and even decades . The water collects oil , grease and bacteria. Not only are the interior contents soaked , but are covered by gunk and unhealthy solutions as well

As you now have learned it's important for water damage restoration companies especially in Maryland and Washington DC to understand what they are working with . Each water damage they encounter , must be carefully analyzed to correctly dry to prevent mold and structural damage . 

 

 

 

SI Restoration emergency water damage repair cleanup services are available in the following Maryland areas  : 

 

Towson          

Pikesville 

Catonsville 

Bel Air 

Baltimore City 

Baltimore County 

Dundalk 

Essex 

Laurel 

Parkton 

Westminster 

Aberdeen 

Hyattsville 

Burtonsville 

Bowie 

Chevy Chase

Elkton 

Gaithersburg 

Rockville 
Germantown 

Hampstead 

Manchester 

Mount Airy 

Sykesville 

Takoma Park 

Upper Marlboro 

 

Washington DC