Reasons to Address Water Damage Quickly

Water damage to homes and businesses is extremely common. How common? Recent estimates suggest that every year 1 in 50 homeowners will file a water damage claim with their insurance. That’s about 24% of all insurance claims. Water damage cleanup is costly, too. The average property owner will spend about $3,153 when water damage occurs.

Despite the potential expense, you can’t let the sticker shock stop you from thoroughly taking care of water damage to your home or business. In fact, when it comes to water damage, not only is it vital that it’s taken care of, but the clock is ticking if you want your water cleanup efforts to be a success.

Common Sources of Water Damage

Because water damage to buildings is so common, it stands to reason that there are many different ways water can affect your property. Some of the most common ways water damage occurs include:

1. Severe Weather

The strong winds and heavy downpours that are associated with thunderstorms, hurricanes, and other natural disasters are to blame for this common cause of water damage. Damage to your roof or flash flooding can cause rainwater to wreak havoc on your property.

2. Clogged Gutters

The purpose of your property’s gutter system is to keep rainwater away from your house. However, when that system isn’t working properly due to clogging, water can overflow and run down the side of your property causing damage.

3. Leaking Pipes

The cost of the luxury of modern indoor plumbing is that pipes need to be checked and maintained to ensure they aren’t leaking. A loose-fitting or broken pipe can cause all kinds of damage to floors, walls, ceilings, and more.

4. Leaking Water Heater

Old, poorly maintained, or badly installed water heaters are water damage waiting to happen. When a water heater leaks, the surrounding area is sure to be flooded quickly causing damage to the surrounding structure.

No matter the cause of the water damage, the bottom line is that water damage needs to be taken care of quickly for a variety of reasons.

Why Water Damage is Dangerous

When your house or business floods, it is a lot more than just wet and unpleasant. Water damage can also pose a variety of health and structural risks that you don’t want to play around with. If not dealt with quickly, water damage can cause:

1. Mold Growth

Mold growth is one of the most common consequences of flooding in your home or business. With increased moisture levels, mold and mildew are likely to grow and grow quickly. In fact, mold can start growing as soon as 24-48 hours after the water damage has been done. Not only is this bad for your property structurally, but mold poses a tremendous health risk. Mold can cause respiratory problems, skin irritation, nausea, and inflammation.

2. Structural Damage

Water can weaken and erode even the hardest of surfaces over time. Flooring soaks up water, wood that supports walls and floors can soften and weaken and drywall can become brittle or warp. This type of damage not only compromises the structure as a whole, but cutting out and replacing these elements starts driving the repair costs even higher.

3. Permanent Staining

When water damage is not thoroughly cleaned up immediately, it can leave permanent stains on walls, floors, and ceilings. There are some stains that even the best paint can’t cover up making these stains permanent. Not only are they an eyesore when you’re back in the building, but they’ll also drive your property value down.

4. Electrical Damage

One of the first things you should do when your property experiences water damage is shut the power off. Doing this will eliminate the risk of electrocution. When water comes in contact with outlets, wiring, or electrical boxes, your entire electrical system can become unsafe. Inspection of all electrical elements should be done as soon as possible before turning the power back on.

Who Needs to Clean Up the Water Damage

Water damage might at first appear to be something you can repair on your own, but it isn’t recommended. Even the most experienced DIY-er can easily underestimate how much seen and unseen damage the event caused.

To thoroughly and safely cleanup your home or business after water damage, you need the experts to come in. A disaster restoration company like Alpha Omega not only has the experience to quickly and efficiently get your home or business repaired, but they also have the needed tools. With dehumidifiers, extractors, air movers, and industrial dryers, Alpha Omega can ensure that your home or business is in pre-disaster condition in no time, causing as little inconvenience to you, your family, and your clients as possible.

Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, Alpha Omega has over 15 years of experience serving the Billinngs, Billings West End, Billings Heights, Laurel, Red Lodge areas. Contact one of our professionals today to discuss how we can partner with you or your business to ensure you are prepared for every disaster.