Water can do thousands of dollars worth of damage to your home, often before you know what’s happening. The information in this post can help you in knowing what to do when you first discover water damage in your home or business. By the time you find water stains on your walls and your ceiling, much of the damage has already been done. Before you contact a public adjuster in Rhode Island, consider these water damage insurance claim tips when detecting water damages.
Find the Source of the Water
The first thing you should always do when you notice water damage in your home is to find out where the water damage is coming from. If the source of the offending water is coming from a burst or leaky pipe, you can shut off the water in your home and prevent any further damage. If the water damage is from a leaking roof or flooding, you will require the services of a contractor to make repairs to your home. In any event, it does pay to know exactly what is causing damage to your home even if you all you can do is point it out to a contractor or a public adjuster.
Dry Out Your Home
If the damage to your home is recent and you can see the water, you will need to remove it to the best of your ability and dry out your home. A wet-dry vacuum can remove standing water and even water that has soaked into the carpet. Open any nearby windows to create a breeze to help dry everything out, and set up some large fans if you have them. This could be a very slow process, but it does help to minimize the damage and prevent mold growth.
Begin the Restoration Process
Once you remove the source of the damage and ensure that it won’t get any worse, it’s time to start the restoration process. Depending on the extent of the damage, this could be a very quick process or a very lengthy one. In the best-case scenario, you will only need to replace a small patch of drywall. In more extreme scenarios, you might need to replace cabinetry, carpet, and floorboards as well as significant portions of your drywall.
You might even need to contact a roofing contractor if the cause of the damage was a leaky roof. No matter how many repairs need to be made, it’s important to get on it as soon as possible to prevent mold growth and other issues that can be caused by water damage. A Rhode Island claims adjuster can help determine how much damage has been done and how much it will cost to make repairs.
Homeowners sometimes underestimate how much damage water can do to their homes. Even though the most noticeable signs of water damage are the telltale brown stains that show up on drywall, water can do far more than that. If you suspect that your home has been affected by water damage, don’t hesitate to make a water damage claim and begin the repair and restoration process as soon as possible.
