Address Water Damage Immediately and Restore your Tulsa Property

When nature strikes its deadly blow, homeowners are left to deal with the devastating aftermath. Damages brought on by water, through floods and hurricanes, can cause a lot of headaches. It’s ironic because water is very powerful with the capacity to give life, and yet, it can just as easily destroy anything at its wake. Water damage is a real issue that must not be delayed.

On top of that, there are home issues like burst pipes or exploding water heaters. This is an obvious form of water damage because you can easily see the impact. However, there is another kind of devastation that you don’t notice immediately. The tricky thing about water damage is that it can also happen while you are not aware, until things become escalated. An example is a tiny roof leak that causes your ceiling to collapse.

These types of water damage range from water leaks, freezing or ice, flooding, and molds, and they put you under a lot pressure because these elements wreck havoc on a place where your heart belongs, your home. Addressing the issue by immediate restoration of the property is of vital importance because these damages can lead to health issues when not addressed properly and swiftly.

Varied Reasons for Water Damage

There are many different reasons that can create this excess water in your home that result in water damage. It is vital to be aware of the potential causes, so you can perform preventive measures to help combat a possible leak or flood. Being aware of these potentially damaging factors also keep you alert, making it easier for you to spot the signs once they arise.

It is vital to nip water issues in the bud before they escalate in to an even bigger mess. The sooner the issues are addressed, the less work there is to do for water extraction and restoration of your property. This also means faster work can be done with lesser unnecessary out of pocket expenses for you.

Save yourself the hassle and be informed here are some reasons that can lead to water damage:

• Bursting or leaking pipes: This is one of the most common culprits in many houses across the country. Drains and toilets can get clogged over the course of time. For instance, your garbage incinerator is no longer working properly and you’re unaware. This clogging causes undue pressure on the pipes, which sometimes lead them to burst or leak. The age of your pipes also predispose them to bursting or leaking. At times, it can be from the deep roots that grow in your yard that upset the pipe lines or sewer lines.
• Plumbing Concerns: Sometimes, hoses and pipe joints are not well crafted and fully attached. These occur within walls are difficult to detect not unless you see the material of your wall warping. By then, the issue is already quite severe because water has seeped through the tough materials. Mitigate issues by giving your visible piping periodic inspection.
• Crawl Space, Basement, and Attic Issues: People often don’t go to these areas of a home so they are more prone to water damage. Crawl spaces are areas under the house which builders use for plumbing and electrical wiring. A damp and dark crawl space is a prime spot for mold damage and mildew infestation, which have the ability to affect home structure. Moisture dripping through the concrete can cause a leaky basement. Air leaking in the attic can cause condensation, making the wet areas rot and prone to mold damage.
• Malfunctioning Appliances: As home appliances get older, their pipes begin to rust and crack and the hose weaken. Water boilers, water tanks, washing machines, dishwashers, and even some models of refrigerators are all predisposed to this kind of deterioration.
• Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning: These systems require periodic maintenance. If they are not maintained properly, it results in a buildup of moisture which encourages the growth of molds in the air ducts. This mold damage can lead to structural damage in the surrounding areas.
• Weather Related Natural Destruction: Sudden flash floods, typhoons, and hurricanes can all lead to water buildup. If possible, perform precautionary measures to minimize their ill-effects on your homes. Other weather related issues include icing of roof vents that lead to their collapse or freezing/ icing of plumping and pipes that eventually lead them to burst.

Types of Water Seeping from the Source

It is crucial to be aware of these three common types of water damage that may be experiencing. Eyeballing the water is enough to tell you if what is in your home or office is safe or not. This assessment is crucial because it determines what kind of clean up must be done to address the problem. Here are these three kinds of water:

• Clean Water: This is the most common type of water encroachment in a home or building. This typically happens when pipes burst, roofs leak, or water based appliances malfunction. The water seeping from these are referred to as clean. This may be the easiest type to handle because the clean water tells you that it doesn’t contain much microbes thriving in the water.
• Gray Colored Water: This type of water is somehow contaminated because of the source it is coming from or due to neglect. To illustrate, clean water can become gray when it is left stagnant over a period of time, such as when there is a roof leak that remained unnoticed in the attic for quite some time. A gray color due to the source of the water issue can come from a washing machine or an overflowing toilet. Thread with caution in touching or dealing with this type of water because it can contain harmful microbes. They are the reason for the grayness. Wearing protective gloves prevent these microbes from seeping in through the pores of the skin. The gloves also prevent you from spreading the germs.
• Black Water: This is the most dangerous type of water that has resulted from a natural disaster, sewer damage, or septic leaks. Black colored water have microbes and can include other toxic material such as chemicals, bacterial diseases, pesticides, and the like. The disinfecting process of this kind of damage will take awhile, so it may be for the best to vacate the area while work is in progress. If you are the cautious in dealing with black water, you place yourself at risk for illness and, worst case, death.

Effects of Water Damage

The accumulation of water is not to be disregarded, especially in some areas that become easily saturated. Aside from causing damage to home and office structures, it has the potential of affecting your health. These harmful effects are:

• Mildew and Mold Damage: Growth of mold and mildew are encouraged when the environment is damp and moist. Something like a seemingly small and insignificant leak only needs 2 days to grow molds. Mildew and mold damage the materials they latch onto. What’s even worse is they can cause health related problems like respiratory concerns that make it difficult to breathe.
• Structural Concerns: Severe water damage can weaken a house’s structure and foundation. Everything can be affected from the roof, ceilings, walls, floors, and the like. Avoid this permanent and costly type of damage by locating the source, checking the areas affected, remove water, repair, and dry the areas.
• Electrical Issues: water can seep through electrical boxes and wiring systems, which result in blown fuses, destroyed electrical appliances, electrical malfunctions, or even a fire.
• Germs, Bacteria, and other Parasites: Depending on the source, water damage can lead to an infestation of these bacteria, germs, and parasites. These are typical residuals from clogged sewers and leaking septic tanks. Failure to clean them up efficiently and effectively will compromise the health of your family. Illnesses such as salmonella, amoebiasis, hepatitis, fungus and the like can inflict your loved ones. Insufficient clean up of disgusting and toxic materials will also lead to a devaluation of your property.
• Threat of Hazardous Chemicals: if the problem of your water issues originated outside, the potential of hazardous chemical seeping into your home is high. A flooding of your basement can mean intermingling of flood water with household chemicals stored therewith. Do not attempt to clear these hazardous chemicals on your own as it may have detrimental consequences to your health. This job requires a call to professionals so they can work on the restoration of your property.

Repairing Water Damage and Restoration of Property

Not all water damage is created equal. Since these are brought on by different factors, each one has a unique solution. However, the general process of recovering from water damage and restoring property is the same. The bullet points below describe what should be done to receive expert and quality care:

Contact a professional restoration and water damage company: As soon as you see water damage, quickly call a professional servicing company that specialize on this type of issue. The quicker you call, the faster your problem can be addressed. Expect these people to ask you several questions about the issues plaguing your home. These will help guide them how to best to respond and treat your water emergency. They will be the ones to determine if you need emergency services that require instant solutions, especially if you are having trouble shutting off water valves. Everything that they do is for your protection.

• Inspection and Assessment of the Property to Spot Damage: These professionals go to your property to visually inspect the problem. They determine the type of damage and they look at the affected areas. This is a necessary part of the whole restoration process because it is only after the initial inspection wherein the professionals can create a concrete and effective plan of action which shall determine the success of the repairs made in your precious home.
• Removal or Extraction of Water: The water removal process is another crucial step in the refurbishment of your home. No work can be done unless all the water has been extracted from your house. Professional service companies have powerful pumps and vacuums that drain out the water from the affected areas. This process should be started as soon as possible to prevent even further damage and to hinder mold growth.
• Drying and Dehumidifying Procedures: As soon as the bulk of the stagnant water has been removed, professional services bring in their powerful blowers to effectively dry harder to reach areas. They are also skilled in using scientific method of drying, so they can effectively draw out the remaining moisture, water, and dampness from your property. Apart from powerful suctions and blowers, they also have industrial grade air movers and dehumidifiers.
• Cleaning, Hygiene, and Sanitation: Floods can affect your belongings like furniture, appliances, clothes, and other personal items. Your service provider can also help you disinfect items that can be restored because they are well-versed in many cleaning techniques. On top of that, they have the capability of providing antimicrobial, anti mildew, anti molds, and anti fungus treatments that can easily remove these foul particles. Apart from sanitizing, they can even take away unpleasant odors by utilizing their industrial type of air scrubbers and high tech fogging equipment.
• Restoring your Precious Home into Its Full Glory: The final step is the most pleasant because this involves restoring your wonderful home to what it was before. In fact, it can even be better than it was before. Repairs and refurbishments can include changing ceilings, replacing drywall panels, fixing faulty electrical wiring, or fixing the roof valleys that cracked because of ice. Sometimes, major reconstruction is necessary with rebuilding of entire rooms of a house or a business establishment.
• Special Notes: If mold and mildew infestation are particularly terrible, there is a test to determine the percentage of their growth in your home. If the integrity of the structure and foundation of the house has been compromised, then a qualified building inspector is asked to come to make the necessary assessments because they are the only ones who can say if the house or home is safe enough to enter. On top of that, if the issues in nature are electrical, professional electricians come to secure all the wiring to prevent fire, electrical grounding, and/or electrocution.

These annoying things can plague your house but all is not loss. Always remember that you can do preventive measure to mitigate damage from water. And if damage is inevitable, then you can always rely on professional contracting companies. One last tip, don’t forget to check if the water damage you are dealing with can be claimed through your home insurance.

When the inevitable happens, and your building requires water damage restoration, call Reset Restoration immediately. We provide 24/7/365 emergency response. If you have joined our free PREP program, immediate priority response is included, along with many other special no-charge services.

If your friends, family and neighbors have had significant water damage to homes or businesses you can contact Reset Restoration in Tulsa 24/7 to inquire about Tulsa water damage restoration services. Call Reset Restoration today at (918) 582-7373.

If your Tulsa home or business has suffered significant damage, please contact Reset Restoration today and request a free quote on water damage restoration.  Follow Reset Restoration on Facebook!