A few years ago, I realized that I didn't really know how to keep my house clean. There were always dishes sitting in the sink, and I couldn't keep up with laundry if my life depended on it. However, a friend of mine suggested working with a professional maid, and so I took her advice. As she worked, I watched her methods, and I learned a lot. This blog is dedicated to my cleaning studies. Here, you will find information on how to clean your house more effectively, so that you can stop wasting time on certain jobs. My plan is that this website could help you to live better than ever. Thanks for reading!
If you're like most homeowners, you probably feel that it's your responsibility to personally clean up any water damage in your home, whether it's from a simple bathtub overflow or a winter storm. But discretion, as the saying goes, is the better part of valor, and you should exercise your discretion when deciding if you ought to clean up the damage yourself or call in a professional crew. Here are three signs that the situation is too severe to reliably handle on your own.
1. Mold
Black mold is a frequent inhabitant of water-damaged homes. In fact, it can appear within just one or two days of water damage if the areas aren't immediately dried. If you find mold growing on your wet possessions at any point during the cleanup process, it's a very bad sign. Mold can spread quickly, damage your belongings even more, and threaten your health. A professional remediation team should be hired to handle any situations involving mold. Even better, you can call in the team before the mold arrives. When you initially assess the water damage, try to estimate whether you'll reasonably be able to dry everything out within twenty-four hours. If not, you're at risk for mold and should call in a team.
2. Blackwater
"Blackwater," a term that refers to heavily contaminated water, is often present in water damage situations. Water from the toilet, water containing sewage, and any flood water from a storm surge or other outdoor source are all considered blackwater. In addition, any graywater (water that's not totally clean, such as water from washing machines, aquariums, or sinks) can become blackwater if not cleaned up within two days. Blackwater is dangerous and should be cleaned up by professionals. A professional team will know what cleaners to use, which belongings can be salvaged, and how to sanitize anything you want to try to save.
3. Structural damage
In a hurricane, flood, or other disaster event, your house may shift or become structurally unsound. Before you enter the house, you should always inspect the outside for signs of this damage such as foundation cracks or buckling, skewed or warped walls, crooked door and window frames (often only discernible because the doors and windows don't open and close well any more), a sagging roof line, or other visible differences in your house's outline. If you fear structural damage, you should employ professionals for the remediation process, both to tackle the tricky structural repairs and to protect you from the danger of having your house collapse on you.
These three signs are all easy ways to tell when water damage has gotten out of hand. If any of them apply to your situation you should consider having a professional water damage remediation team like Servpro Of Washington County help you get your house and belongings back into livable conditions again.
Share7 October 2015
