If you happen to be one of the unfortunate homeowners to find yourself searching for what to do after water damage takes place, the experts at Action Restoration and Property Services are here to help make the process easier and less stressful.
Steps to Take After Water Damage Occurs
Action NoCo
Unfortunately, water damage is incredibly common and nearly 98% of American homeowners will face some form of residential water damage at some point in their lives. If you happen to be one of these unfortunate people and find yourself searching for what to do after water damage takes place, the water damage repair experts at Action Restoration and Property Services are here to help make the process easier and less stressful.
Step 1 - Protect Your Family
In the event that your home is experiencing a water emergency such as a burst pipe, cracked foundation, or a leaking roof, the first step is to ensure the safety of yourself, your family, and any other people or pets inside the house. Protecting the safety of people, pets, and property may mean leaving the home temporarily. Electricity, collapsing roofs, and water are a recipe for disaster and immediate action must be taken.
Step 2 - Stop the Water Source
Once there is no immediate threat to life, the next step is to stop the source of flowing water (and power, if applicable). This may include shutting off the main water supply to the home. You may need to consider contacting your local municipal water company if a mainline break is the issue. For a collapsed roof and active precipitation, a call to your local roofing company is warranted. If there is something you can do to immediately prevent more water from entering your home, you should safely attempt to stop the source of water.
Step 3 - Call Your Homeowner Insurance Company
Once the water is no longer entering your home, your next call should be to your Homeowner Insurance Company to file a claim and find out what they can do to help. Some homeowner policies include temporary housing coverage and partner with certain water mitigation and repair experts.
Step 4 - Correct the Problem
Once the problem has been identified, it’s time to correct it. Fixing the problem will reduce the chances of further water damage and allow you to begin reversing what damage has already been caused. You may need to enlist the help of your local trusted plumber or roofer. If the fix is something that you aren’t responsible for — for example, a city water main line break or sewer line back up — continue to follow up with the responsible agency until the problem is corrected.
Step 5 - Restoration and Repair
The final step is water damage restoration and repair. Water damage repair should begin with thoroughly drying out the building materials of your house and removing any mold that has begun to grow. Restoration efforts will begin with removing damaged materials, then repairing and rebuilding your house.
At Action Restoration and Property Services of Fort Collins, our water mitigation and restoration experts get to work as soon as you call us. We are ASD certified, which means that we have the technical expertise to leave your home completely dry, eliminating secondary damage such as mold and structural damage. We can even help you navigate the complex system of homeowners insurance filing, and we partner with local contractors including plumbers and roofers. Once you and your family are safe from immediate threat, make a call to Action — we are on our way!