As a homeowner, there are lots of things that can go wrong. We aren’t talking about typical wear and tear of the interior and exterior, but rather those unexpected issues that pop up in life. One of those is water leaking in the home. It’s something most homeowners don’t count on happening, so panic is usually the first thing to hit when it does.
To help you react promptly and take the right steps for the situation, here’s what you can do if water is leaking into your home.
Is the Water Leaking from Inside the Home?
You first want to determine if the water is leaking from inside your home. If so, you need to locate the water turn-off so you can stop the flooding and limit the damage. If the water is leaking from outdoors into the home, you can’t exactly turn that off.
A good tip to remember is that where you see the water leaking and pooling may not necessarily be the source — that’s just where it’s ending up. This is why finding the true source of the leak can be tricky and requires some experience.
Try to Limit the Water Leaking In
If you’re unable to turn off the water to stop the flood, then you need to limit the damage and catch as much water as possible. Placing buckets where the water is leaking, laying thick towels to help soak up the water, and doing your best to keep up with mopping is important.
Contact Your Home Insurance Company
Depending on the leak and the type of coverage you have, it’s important to contact your home insurance company as soon as possible. They need to be alerted to the issue and they can discuss the coverage you have and the steps to take.
Clean Up Needs to be Thorough and Professional
If you catch the leak immediately and only a small amount of water drips in, then the clean-up shouldn’t be too big of a job. Homeowners need to be cautious if the leak is big, has taken place over time, and/or large amounts of water have come into the home. The problem is that you can be dealing with a lot more than water cleanup; there may also be dangerous mold growing which requires skill to remove.
For such issues as sewage backups, flooded basements, black mold remediation, and flash floods, they should be taken seriously and viewed as an emergency. In these cases, contacting a company providing water damage services is recommended. They will be thorough, fast, and professional.
Drying Could Take Days
It may take days for the affected area to dry for extensive water leaks. It can be helpful to keep the windows open, provided there is no rain forecast, and rent commercial floor fans that you can direct at the wet areas. If you’re using a water damage service professional, they will likely leave fans in the home for at least a few days.
The unfortunate part about water leaks is that they can happen so quickly and cause a lot of damage in a short time. The goal should be to find the source and limit the damage.
