What Homeowners Need To Know About Water Damage After Minor Flooding

8/23/2021 (Permalink)

Residential water damage

Water Damage After Minor Flooding

Water damage is easy to identify when flooding covers streets and submerges vehicles. When that same water pours into a home in Blackman, TN, and covers floors two feet deep, the resulting destruction is expected, and often immediately addressed. But what happens when clean water floods the floors an inch or two after a pipe burst? Homeowners may be unaware of the dangers small amounts of water can cause floor coverings, walls, and baseboards.

Potential Problems

A burst pipe, overflowing toilet, or broken water heater can all flood floors. Once the initial water

has been cleaned up, most homeowners know to look for, and quickly address, many common problems with a professional. Here are a few possibilities to consider:

• Ebbing water pressure – A possible rupture in a water line. This can range from a small, inconsistent leak at a connection to a continuous leak at a broken line.

• Discolored water or funny smell and taste – A possible rusty pipe or a broken pipe that allows foreign bodies into the water supply.

• Stains on walls – A possible water leak behind walls, or water seepage into wood or sheetrock by the flood waters.

Invisible Damages

Often after homeowners clean up a pipe burst caused flood, they look for the visible signs of water damage but are completely unaware of the hidden damages left behind. That is why it is usually expedient to contact a restoration team to evaluate the damage. The team can remove carpets and pads, check underflooring for damage, and set up dehumidifiers to speed the evaporation of remaining water. Most importantly, the restoration specialists can remove baseboards and ventilate the remaining water that is hidden behind the boards. This simple step can help thwart mold.

Effective Solutions

Dealing with the consequences of even a minor flood from a pipe burst in Blackman, TN, while the property is still wet can not only help mitigate the immediate damage, it can help prevent potential future problems. Property evaluation and decontamination can be time-sensitive matters.