"My Home Is Soaked What Do I Do?"
It doesn't matter where you live in Atlanta. Whether you are live in a condo in Buckhead or artsy Cabbagetown; whether you live in Alpharetta, Decatur, or Dunwoody. Maybe you neglected a running bath too long and it overflowed or the recent storm soaked your carpet in dirty water several feet deep; repairing water damage requires immediate and deliberate action on your part as the homeowner. If you fail to take the appropriate next steps to restore water damage out of fear of the expense you may be endangering your family's health.
It is true that water damage restoration may be a costly process in some cases but cost varies widely depending on the severity of the damage and how quickly the homeowner decides to do something about it. There is no doubt that acting immediately is the key to controlling the cost to the homeowener. Let's face it water damage is not fun to clean up. However, fail to act against water damage can jeopardize the value of your home. Even more important is the risk of mold contamination eventually putting your family's health at risk. So if you are sitting at home now looking at a soaked carpet or a flooded family room wondering what you do, take it one step at a time and work your way through my 9 step action plan:
1. Shut off your electricity. A classic and deadly mistake. Water and electricity don't mix. Be wary of power failure as the power can suddenly come back on.
2. Check your walls for signs of structural damage. Drywall doesn’t like lots of water and prolonged exposure to moisture can lead to both rot and mold. If your drywall has come in contact with substantial water, that portion is likely going to have to be replaced - best to accept that it isn't so bad.
3. Turn off gas to the house. It is better safe than sorry.
4. Take pictures for insurance purposes. This is good just in case you decide to file a claim. If you are going to report it you want to do it within the first 24 hours but don’t call your insurance company just yet. Depending on the estimated cost and your deductible it may not make sense to file a claim. More on this a little later.
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