When faced with a burst pipe, flooding or any other emergency in the home involving water, it is important to act fast. The longer that you allow water to sit in your home, the more costly the damage will be in the end. If you have recently experienced water intrusion in your house, immediately seek out emergency water extraction services.
What Is Emergency Water Extraction?
Water emergencies are almost always unpredictable. Maybe your washing machine flooded part of your home when you were at work or rising water seeped into your waterfront vacation home. No matter the cause of the water damage, emergency water extraction is needed to remove excess water and minimize damage.
Emergency water extraction is a process that typically involves a speedy assessment of the affected area, the removal of standing water, the extraction of water from carpeting, treating of affected areas with anti-microbial solutions to prevent bacterial growth and the use of dehumidifiers and dryers to speed up the drying process.
When Should I Acquire Emergency Water Extraction Services?
Water damage can occur within minutes. As soon as water invades a home, building materials, furniture and other belongings begin to absorb moisture. While some materials can be dried and sanitized, others will need to be disposed of and replaced.
Furniture that is in direct contact with water will begin to swell and delaminate within just a few hours. Dyes from any non-colorfast fabrics will start to bleed. In as little as 24 hours, fungi can start to grow. Wood will warp, paint will blister and your home will develop a musty odor. To help minimize damage, it is crucial to acquire emergency water extraction services as soon as possible.
After a Natural Disaster
Natural disasters are one of the most common causes of flooding in homes. Localized flooding can occur due to various drainage obstructions, such as ice, beaver dams, landslides or debris. An increase in water flow can also occur due to rapid snow melt, sustained rainfall, tropical cyclones or monsoons. When any type of natural disaster occurs that results in flooding in your home, you will want to acquire emergency water extraction services quickly to initiate water damage cleanup and restoration.
When a Pipe Bursts in Your Home
Pipes in the home can burst unexpectedly, resulting in serious flooding. If you are not home at the time of the incident, you could arrive home to severe water damage throughout your home. While pipes can burst for a wide range of reasons, the most common cause of burst pipes is freezing temperatures. When the water in a pipe freezes due to below-zero temperatures, it can exert enough pressure to rupture the pipe wall or cause the pipe joint to come apart. Whether copper, lead, iron, plastic or PVC, any piping material is susceptible to bursting. When a pipe bursts, the water damage can be substantial and will often require emergency water extraction services.
Water Pump Failures
Many homes have sump pumps that are designed to protect against a flooded basement. Unfortunately, these water pumps do not always work the way they are supposed to, resulting in flooding. A sump pump may fail during a heavy rain period when it is forced to work overtime to remove excess water. When a sump pump fails, water can begin to leak through the foundation and basement walls where it can start to pool on the floor.
If you have furniture or other items in the basement, they could suffer water damage. Even if your basement is not a finished space, it is important to contact an emergency water extraction company to prevent water damage-related issues, such as mold growth.
Flooding Around Electrical Components
When water starts to flood around electrical components in the home, the situation can quickly go from being a nuisance to a hazard. Everyone knows that water and electricity do not mix. If you are in the vicinity of an electrical component when your home is flooded, you are at a high risk for electrocution. If your home is flooded and there is live electricity, do not go back into the home until you have the fire department or a utility company fully disconnect your house from the grid. You can then contact emergency water extraction services to remove the water and begin the recovery process.
Learn More About Emergency Water Extraction Today
No one ever expects their home to flood, but when it happens, you may panic and not know who to call. It is important to address the situation quickly and calmly to help minimize damage to your property. If you are dealing with a flooding or water damage incident in your home, contact the water damage restoration specialists at Kingsley, LLC, today.