You never think it will happen to you. But, the reality is that 14,000 people find themselves facing home water damage emergencies every single day. Fortunately, if you can manage to catch the water leak early, you can help prevent a seriously damaged house.
Continue reading to learn the most important steps to take as soon as you notice a water leak.
1. Turn Off the Water in Your Home
At the first sign of a leak, you need to turn off the water in your home to prevent further damage. If you can’t find your water meter or you’re unable to turn it off yourself, then you need to call an emergency plumber to come help as soon as possible. The faster you turn off your water, the less damage repair you’ll need to do in your home, so urgency is important.
2. Assess the Damage
Next, take a look around your home to see how much damage has been done. If you catch the leak early and don’t see much damage, you can clean up the water and the resulting mess immediately. This will help prevent the unpleasant experience of finding mold in your home. Be sure to disinfect anything that the water touched while you’re cleaning up.
Now, if there is significant water damage, you don’t want to clean it up immediately. Instead, you need to document the damage by taking photos and videos of your home. This will help you with your insurance claims.
3. Contact Your Insurance Company
Speaking of insurance, you need to contact your agent as soon as possible to let them know about the issue. This is especially important if you have significant damage. Once you contact your company and give them the relevant information about the damage, they’ll send an adjuster out to your home.
The adjuster will inspect the damage and help guide you through the next steps. If you have significant water damage, the adjuster will likely sit down with you and go through a full list of damaged items so you can get compensation for the loss.
4. Fix the Source of the Leak
Once the insurance company has done what they need to do, you’ll need a plumber to come out and determine the cause of the leak. They’ll be able to do an assessment on your home and fix the issue, so you won’t have to worry about it happening again in the future.
5. Call a Damage Remediation Company
Finally, if the water damage is serious, you’ll need a remediation company to come in and do repairs. They’ll likely set up industrial fans to dry out the space and remove any mold or mildew growth. If you have damaged drywall, they can repair that as well to prevent future structural issues.
It’s important to remember that you need to work with your insurance company before calling in remediation help. If you don’t get prior approval, you may have to pay for the repairs out of pocket.
Remember What to Do After a Water Leak
Now that you know the most important steps to take after a water leak, you’re prepared for the worst. Taking the right steps in the immediate aftermath of a leak can prevent serious damage, so don’t put it off.
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