Clean Up Water Damage

Tips to Help You Clean Up Water Damage

While it only takes a few moments for your Gainseville, Florida, home or business to become flooded, it can take hours or days to clean up water damage. If you are fortunate, you can hire professionals who are ready to come out and assist you in this task right away. It’s more likely that you’ll have to wait at least 24 hours or more until technicians can arrive at your home with the equipment needed to handle the flooding situation. Here are a few tips you can use to help you clean up water damage while you wait for professional assistance.

Turn Off the Electricity

It’s important to avoid the risk of shock, so turn off the electricity that is powering that room. Once the power has been turned off, unplug all electronics and relocate them to a dry area within the home.

Empty Out the Flooded Area

The first step you should take when you start to clean up water damage is to move as many of your dry possessions out of the room as you can. Make sure that you wear waterproof boots to keep your feet dry and protective gloves to keep your hands clean. Start with the items that are closest to the flooding to prevent any more damage from happening. Alternatively, you can begin by moving all of the small items that are easy to relocate.

Eliminate Standing Water

Use whatever methods you can to remove as much of the water as possible. Buckets, mops, wet vacuum, and towels can all useful in this task. If you choose to use a wet vacuum, you’ll have to run an extension cord from another room to avoid the risk of creating a short in the electrical system.

Dry Your Possessions

Use a multi-pronged strategy to dry out your home. Open the windows to allow fresh air in and stale air out. Use a fan to circulate the air and a dehumidifier if you have one. If you want to clean up water damage as quickly as possible, keep the air circulating 24 hours a day if at all possible.

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