The Rapid Progression of Water Damage in Your Home or Business | SERVPRO® of Beaver County

5/6/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Beaver County is your 24/7 water restoration expert. Call us right away if you need immediate service.

Minor problems like leaky faucets and small water spots are often looked over during routine maintenance, but you should never underestimate the damaging results that moisture can cause to your home. An average household leak can waste up to 10,000 gallons of water in a year.

Water damage may seem slow-moving but it progresses quickly, as moisture seeps into walls, floors, rugs and any other soft surface.

You must address the issues immediately in order to get the best restoration and to protect your home from further damage. We’ve created a condensed timeline of how water damage evolves:

<h2the-first-24-hours">In the First 24 Hours

If you live in a house in a high-risk area, there is a one in four chance of a flood damaging your home within a 30-year period. Knowing what to do next is essential.

Your actions in the first 24 to 48 hours after flooding and/or water damage are most important. There are many items that are common in the home that will immediately fall victim to the dangers of standing water.

Any soft furnishing, fabric or upholstery will soak through and hold water. Your wooden structures like cabinets, desks and studs will swell from the moisture and become damaged quickly.

Personal belongings such as documents, books and photographs are especially prone to warping beyond repair. Even worse, mold can grow during this timeframe, so taking the proper steps is essential.

SERVPRO’s expertise and “restore vs. replace” mentality can help you save money while preserving precious keepsakes that can’t be replaced. If any materials cannot be successfully restored, this will be communicated to you.

These materials are typically removed as soon as possible to expedite the drying of all restorable materials.

<h2the-first-week">Within the First Week

Once the water has been present for over 24 hours, water damage progresses further and quicker in your home. Mold growth blooms and can spread easier with excessive moisture. As this mold sets in, it can cause damage to the structure of your home.

Additionally, wood surfaces, drywall, furniture and any porous surface will become increasingly compromised. Moisture and oxygen present for this long will begin to corrode metal items and weaken their structural integrity.

<h2one-week">After One Week

You want to avoid letting moisture sit for an extended period at all costs because some effects may be catastrophic or irreversible. As time goes on, the costs and efforts to restore the structure will increase significantly, and the risks associated with structural damage are greater.

<h2SERVPRO-will-help">How SERVPRO Will Help

Our restoration process will begin with an initial call, preferably inside of the first 24 hours. We typically begin our service work by thoroughly extracting any standing water from inside the home.

This step helps prevent moisture from spreading further and reduces the overall drying time.

It’s very possible that all affected items like floors, carpets, furniture and personal belongings will need deep-cleaning, sanitizing and deodorization. Once we have removed the bulk of the water, we send in our specialists that utilize industry-leading equipment to remove the water that isn’t visible.

After these initial steps, your home may need construction work to get your property back to its preloss condition. This step could include minor repairs or rebuilding entire areas of your home.

At SERVPRO, we’re capable of simplifying the restoration process by taking care of the initial damage mitigation and rebuilding any affected areas. We will keep you in the loop during every step so that you’re back in your home or business as quickly as possible.

Regardless of the type of water damage sustained, SERVPRO has the tools and teams to help your home or business recover. Contact us ²⁴⁄₇ when you need a dependable team to help you recover.