Many homeowners will have to deal with water damage at some point. Luckily, if that damage is minimal, there are a few simple steps to renew your home to its former glory.
Repair Wood
Hardwood is a popular style choice for many homeowners because it's a versatile and practical look. Wood is susceptible to water damage, because it is a very porous material. Luckily, there are ways to salvage most water damaged hardwood floors and fixtures.
The first thing you need to do after your home experiences water damage is remove the water immediately. The longer the water sits on the wood, the more stained the grain will become. To remove excess water stuck in the wood grain, place a towel on the affected area and run an iron set to dry low-to-medium over the towel. The moisture will leave the wood and be soaked into the towel.
After this, assess the severity of the water stain. If it is unnoticeable, seal the wood and you're done. If the water damage was more severe, you will have to sand the wood and re-stain and seal it.
Assess Drywall
Many walls and ceilings are drywall, which can be quickly damaged by water leaks. If the damage is superficial, however, anyone can to the muscle work to repair the area. First, you will need to evaluate whether or not the dry wall is still attached to the wood frame. If there is a lot of sagging or breaks, the section will have to be replaced. If the sagging is minimal, then the existing drywall can be easily reattached and cleaned up.
Start by using drywall screws to secure the area to its frame. Next, scrape off any bubbled paint or drywall damaged by moisture. Once the area is smoothed out, you can paint over the water stain that has occurred by using water sealing drywall paint. If need be, you can also use drywall mud to level the surface. Smooth the mud over, let it dry, and paint over the damaged area to make your walls and ceiling look like new.
Remove Mold
If your home has experienced water damage, you're almost sure to get some mold issues. Most mold problems can be solved by simple cleaning measures, but if the area of contamination is over 3 square feet, you may need to call mold removal professionals for safety reasons.
Most of the time, however, the areas will be small and easy to manage. The first thing you'll want to do is to quickly dry out your home. Mold grows quickly—24 to 48 hours—so move all of your appliances and furniture to an airy place. Once dried out, disinfect any upholstery with hydrogen peroxide or pine oil cleaner. Hard surfaces can be cleaned with any number of fungal killing items such as bleach or vinegar.
Mold can sometimes return to an area if not properly removed, so be sure to keep an eye on the problem areas and keep them as clean as possible.
If any project feels too big for you, don't hesitate to call a professional water restoration company. The faster you get your home effectively cleared of water damage, the longer your home will last.
Share22 April 2015
My entire life, I had always been terrified of tornadoes. While my husband would sometimes go outside and look at the strange hue of the sky, I'd find myself and my daughter huddled in the downstairs basement with our dog. Fortunately, my husband had enough sense to come downstairs with us during the tornado that took most of our house. My family almost lost everything. This was more than just a home. We had built it ourselves and poured our hearts and souls into it. I was determined to have our home restored to an exact replica of the original that we lost. I learned everything I could about damage contractors while trying to restore my home and I've developed a love for this topic that has inspired me to maintain a blog about it.
