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How fast should you deal with water damage?

Water damage can be very devastating to your home and can cause a lot of damage to the things inside your home, as well as the home itself. Although some of the damage happens instantly, or within a few mintues of being flooded, some damage takes longer to happen and can be avoided if the situation is taken care of quickly and efficiently.

In many cases with water damage your belongings can get damaged and destroyed in under 24 hours, so it’s very important to contact a certified water damage expert if you want to save your belongings. Below we have written the different stages of water damage and how it can affect your home and belongings if not quickly dealt with.

The first Hour:

Most damage that occurs within the first hour cannot be stopped as it will happen very quickly. On the bright side most of the damage that is caused within the first hour isn’t as serious as the potential damage if the water is left unattended for longer.

The starting damage from flood water includes:

  • Moving water spreading rapidly to different regions all through a building
  • Carpet & Drapes discoloration
  • Damage to moisture sensitive furniture
  • Damage to books, records, and paper products

The First Day:

After the initial damage is done within the first hour, the next 24 hours will continue to further damage your home and belongings. This damage is usually more serious than the damage that occurs within the first hour but luckily it can be stopped if the right action is taken. Calling a water damage expert will help ensure that the right steps are taken and this damage is prevented as much as possible.

  • Swelling and breaking down of furniture legs
  • Bacterial odor will begin and regular household odors will strengthen
  • Swelling and breaking down of wooden decorations & structural items

The First Week:

If after the first day the water has still not been properly removed and taken care of, more serious damage will occur. At this point if you have still not called a water damage restoration expert, it is incredibly important that you do as your belongings and home will begin to be permanently destroyed.

The sorts of flood water damage that can happen amid the first week include:

  • Structural damage to flooring and walls
  • Development of microbial living beings including mold and a smelly odor
  • Swelling and breaking down of drywall
  • Rusting of uncoated metal surfaces
  • Swelling, misshaping, and delaminating of wood entryways and window casings
  • Malfunctioning of electronic components
  • Development of an unforgiving and dangerous environment particularly for those with respiratory issues

As you can see it’s ideal to deal with any flooding or water damage as soon as possible in order to avoid more damage to your home and belongings. InteriorEra has years of experience dealing with water damage and helping property owners get back with their lives as soon as possible. If you ever experience water damage feel free to call us at 416-897-1676