Its a little overkill but there is a lot to know to be safe.  We here at IP would like to throw out tips to the peeps listening or needing to know what to do in the event of a water damage in their property.  We know some of these to you maybe “duh, of course”, but sometimes people need a structured list to get them through the moment.  Also, some may apply and some may not.  So here we go:

1. Turn off the main water supply.  Especially if the water is coming from your plumbing
2. Shut off natural gas supplies.  Especially if water has covered a portion of your furnace or hot water heater
3. Look for exposed electrial components or wiring and safely disconnect
4. Check for damaged plumbing connections, pipes and standing water
5. Do not enter a room with standing water if the electricity is still on
6. Call a restoration company – no matter what the hour
7. During  cool seasons leave the heat on, in warmer seasons turn up the air conditioning(colder and running)
8. Use as many fans and dehumidifiers to circulate the air and assist drying. (you can never have to much)
9. Remove as much water as possible by mopping, blotting or sucking
10. If possible sweep standing water to the outside or to a working sump pump
11. Do not use an ordinary vacuum to remove water
12. Wipe furniture dry.  Prop up wet furniture cushions for even drying, don’t forget to place foil under legs of furniture to protect again standing moisture
13. Relocate belongings to a dry and safe part of the property
14. Lift hanging draperies off wet flooring
15. Spread out in a dry area: rugs, paintings, books and photos
16. Open closet doors, furniture drawers, luggage, dvd cases to help facilitate drying
17. Hang furs and leather goods to dry separately at room temperature
18. Carpet that has been wet for less than two days can be salvageable and your insurance company will require trying
19. The Carpet padding may be salvageable but a restoration company will help determine that
20. Do not pull up tacked down carpet by hand.  It may damage the backing
21. Valuable rugs may need immediate cleaning by a professional
22. Damage from the water and bacteria growth can begin within hours
23. Do not disturb visible mold growth

Keep in mind, according to your policy, you have to mitigate your loss. If you fail to do these things or fail to have a restoration company do these things for you, your insurance company will not pay for additional damages that occur because of standing water or wet material that was not dried out properly.  We hope this helps get you started though!!

Please let us know if you think we missed something.

Coming up in the tip line…”Fire Damage – Help Tips”