Temperatures may still be frigid, but as we enter February, it’s important to look forward to Spring and the dangers that can come when we shed our winter coats and gloves. Water damage is one of the biggest issues to be concerned about for your home as temperatures rise, and it can range from extensive — backed up sewage lines, burst pipes or major flooding — to minor — a leaky roof, small water seepage of water through cracks in your home or leaks in pipes.
Be on the lookout for these issues this Spring! If your water damage is minor, you might be tempted to try to take on the task of home water damage restoration yourself, but here at ServiceMaster Restoration by Simons, we warn you to call a professional to help you restore and dry out your home. Here are a few reasons off the top of our heads:
There Are Serious Consequences to Just Waiting It Out
If water damage does end up affecting you and your home this Spring, you might be tempted to just let the water dry slowly over time. Although the water will evaporate eventually, it can cause damage if the process is not sped up.
Even small leaks can cause water-logged carpets that need to be professionally dried. In addition, leaks in your walls can cause rotting of both the drywall and the lumber used to hang the drywall.
Calling in an expert from ServiceMaster Restoration by Simons means expediting the drying process and preventing further damage before it appears.
Water Damage is Not Always Visible
Water damage does not always produce visible signs in the walls, carpets or ceiling that it has taken over. Even if you feel like you can dry out your home on your own, you might not be able to properly detect every damaged area. If you assume parts of your home are dry or undamaged when they are not, there may be serious consequences for your home.
For example, mold, mildew and bacteria can begin growing hours after the water has found its way into your home. If you overlook a damp or damaged portion, the mold and mildew can grow out of control creating sanitary issues and structural decay.
Our experts have sensitive devices that can sense the presence of water, even if it does not look or feel wet to the touch. This allows them to address every area of water damage in your home that you might miss.
All Water is Not Created Equal
In addition to health concerns caused by mold, the water that leaks into your home itself may also pose a bacterial threat to your family.When you think about water damage, you probably assume any water that has worked its way into your home is as benign as your standard drinking water. In reality, the water could contain potentially lethal contaminates if it came from a sewer or polluted lake.
There are 3 distinct categories of water that can be involved in water damage, as outlined by the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification, with category 3 including water that is potentially life destroying. Unfortunately, you can’t tell just by looking at the water if it falls under category 1 and doesn’t pose any health issues or if it is a classified as a dangerous category 3.
Our professionals can test the water for any potential dangers. If they determine that the water that has damaged your home is dangerous they will take steps to ensure that it doesn’t endanger your health by restricting access, destroying contaminants by the use of chemicals and throwing away contaminated items that cannot be saved.
In a perfect world, you wouldn’t be forced to deal with water damage as a homeowner this Spring but here at ServiceMaster Restoration by Simons, we know tragedy can strike any minute.
Our best advice to you is that if you experience water damage in your home, resist the urge to undertake restoration yourself. Instead, contact us at ServiceMaster Restoration at Simons for our professional water damage services.
ServiceMaster Restoration By Simons is a women-owned and family run company serving Chicago, Oak Park, River Forest, and the North Shore. The business provides disaster restoration services for damages caused by water, fire, flooding, mold remediation, and a wide range of interior specialty cleaning (hoarder/clutter, post construction, carpet & upholstery) to residential and commercial customers residing in Chicago, Oak Park, River Forest and the North Shore. For more information, give us a call at 773-376-1110 or visit servicemasterbysimons.com.