News

Time-related water damage contamination effects

Within minutes water can cause the spreading of contamination which can lead to typhoid, Legionnaire’s Disease, fecal strep, salmonella, gastrointestinal diseases and systemic fungal infections. Moisture sensitive materials can sometimes swell and disfigure. Within hours cross contamination (contact) of wet clothing can cause transfer of dye clothing. Think of happens when new, unwashed jeans are wet and them make contact with another fabric surface: an unwanted blue are that is permanently stained! Furniture finishes can discolor and wooden legs and framework start to swell. Within days, doors, drawers and drywall swell, buckle and delaminate. Particle board subflooring can warp, buckle and delaminate. Furniture legs continue to swell and lead to cracking of the wood. Wallpaper can peel and ceilings warp. Mold and mildew can start to grow within 48 hours of the original damage especially in wall interiors that have insulation that acts like a sponge. (Absorbed water can travel several feet up the insulation!) A common related growth is grayish/green penicillin mold. Areas left unattended for nine days or longer can produce greenish/black aspergilus mold which is even more virulent and a greater health hazard. Dyes in oriental rugs can run, permanently discoloring the rug. Within weeks mold and mildew can digest plaster, drywall, paneling, adhesives, ceiling tiles, and organic insulation. Electronic equipment can become unsalvageable. Hardwood floors may buckle, plywood delaminate and particle board dissolve. Tackless strip which is used to secure stretch-in carpet, the most common type of residential insulation, can become weak, soggy and rotten while the tacks in the strips become corroded. Alkaline in concrete subflooring can wick up due to water exposure, attack the overlying tile and linoleum including their adhesives and loosen them up.

Timely water removal limits secondary damage

A major key to limiting property damage is to remove the water. This sounds simple doesn’t it? Since the water damage has already occurred, and, in many cases, has receded, leaving affected surfaces wet, many of the “victims” assume that they can take their time in getting the structure dried by a restoration firm. Worst yet, they may try to do the work themselves or not to do anything at all, letting nature dry out the contents and structure instead. What is really wrong with taking these approaches? When water has made significant contact with the structure and contents, failure to dry everything in a timely and proper manner causes additional damage called secondary damage. The water exposure can lead to the growth of mold, mildew and other pathogens that can seriously affect your health. To prevent secondary damage and protect your health, a certified, knowledgeable restoration firm with customized equipment and solutions designed especially for water damage restoration should be utilized. The cost of losses related to secondary damage can escalate from possibly hundreds of dollars to correct the original exposure to thousands of dollars where drying alone will not solve the problem and replacement is now in order to satisfy the claim. Historically, these kinds of situations happen when the family is on vacation and the structure is left unattended for weeks at a time. Secondary damage can easily occur starting within minutes of the original exposure! Let’s look at the timeline of what can happen when the damage is allowed to go untreated.

Most common causes of water damage

Often when you see water damage situations on the television news they are caused by disasters of major proportions. Hurricanes and river floods are two sources that immediately come to mind. Did you know, however, that water damage to structures (buildings) and their contents (items not part of the actual structures) is most often caused by leaking appliances, frozen pipes, sewage backups and excessive rainfall? It’s a fact that water damage can strike anyone at anytime.

Links to Facebook, Flickr, Youtube, LinkedIn Profiles