Whether you are a landlord or living in a rental space it is your responsibility to always ensure that the pipework of your property is healthy and not close to any life-threatening damage. Regular checkups and installation of sturdy and good quality pipes all around your home will save you from unfortunate events such as pipe bursts, flooding and mold production.
We have rounded up a 6-step action plan for you to follow, which will help you throughout water damage restoration. Give it a read!
Understand The Consequences of Pipe Burst
Before we proceed, it is important to understand the impacts and consequences of burst pipes. Be it long-term or immediate effects, the whole episode of pipe burst takes a toll on people and therefore, taking precautionary measures are highly necessary.
Immediate impact
The first thing that can happen due to a pipe burst is immediate flooding. Which in some cases gets really bad and uncontrollable. Flooding also leads to severe structural damage which can cause power shortcuts and electrical hazards.
The immediate consequences of a pipe burst may become life-threatening, which is why taking precautionary measures is highly crucial.
Long term effects
Once the immediate consequences are over, the misery doesn’t stop there. It brings a series of long term effects that show up after a couple of days or weeks. Mold growth is one of the most common long term effects due to burst pipe and flooding. Not just this, but infrastructural damage is also on this list.
6-step Action Plan to Minimize Impact of Burst Pipes
Now that you are aware of long term and immediate effects of pipe bursts let’s explore the step wise action guide to water damage restoration. This will help you eliminate the chances of any life threatening emergency.
Turn off the main stopcock
Usually the main valve/tap is located in the kitchen in most houses. Locate that and shut it off completely to stop excess flowing of water. Once the water supply is off carefully turn off the electrical supply. Turning off electricity will save you from any electrical hazard and you can safely take care of other damages.
Identify major damages
Once the water and electrical supply is off, your next task is to assess the damage. Identify the affected areas and inspect if you can do something about it to prevent severe damage. Another thing you can do is to try documenting it. Be in the form of photos or videos, the whole purpose of documenting is to provide necessary evidence during insurance claims.
Read more: Common Causes of Home Flooding and How to Prevent Them
Remove excess water and salvage important goods
Start by maintaining the ventilation and opening the curtains and windows. With the help of mop and wet vacuum remove water from inside the property. Excess water causes damage to rugs, carpet and upholstery belongings. Make sure you relocate your furniture to a safe space. It can be your garage or any room of the house which is unaffected by the pipe burst.
For quick water damage restoration address carpets and rugs. Moving them outside will help you a lot during this process.
Call a nearby water damage restoration company
With all the necessary steps you will take to minimize the damage, calling a water restoration service company is highly essential. They will send certified professionals to your property and provide extensive help which includes drying up the black water and offering mold remediation. For prompt and excellent services, contact The Restoration Group.
Don’t forget to call your insurance company
Lastly, try contacting your insurance company and make sure you provide them with all the necessary documentation and bills to claim the coverup. If you live in a rental property, your landlord is responsible for it.
Prevent Future Emergencies
Maintaining and inspecting your pipework regularly will save you big time. If you inspect corrosion make sure you take necessary steps and not put it to delay. Taking quick action during a pipe burst emergency is highly essential. Especially, in those cases where there is immediate flooding and excess water flow. Implement the step-wise action plan to minimize the water damage restoration. Book your appointment now!