What to Do After Water Damage | 10 Necessary Steps to Take

If you’re able to safely get to your main water shut-off valve, turn the valve clockwise to shut your property’s water off. This will help limit the water damage.

Not sure where your valve is? It can usually be found in your basement nearest to the exterior wall that faces the street. Don’t have a basement? It may be near your hot water heater or in your garage.

You’ll be tempted to try to collect important belongings from flooded areas of your home or business. Ensure the safety of yourself and your family by waiting until it’s deemed safe to re-enter damaged areas of your property. When you do re-enter, avoid touching or moving any damaged items.

If the water damage was caused by a plumbing issue, such as a leaking or burst pipe, contact a reputable plumber to come address the problem.

Contact your insurance provider immediately to inquire about what your homeowner’s insurance covers. File your claim as quickly as you can.

All homeowner’s insurance policies require property owners to report their losses as promptly as possible. Then contact Kiser Construction as your trusted restoration provider so we can begin the remediation process right away.

When it comes to water damage, you shouldn’t try to remedy the situation by yourself. The Institution of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) encourages people to seek out a company with IICRC certification to evaluate the damage and determine the risks involved. At Kiser Construction, we are IICRC-certified and can handle any water damage situation you may have.

To control water damage as much as you possibly can, prompt action is critical. This is where you’d call our 24/7 emergency response line at 612-518-8852. We specialize in emergency fire, water, and storm damage restoration, providing comprehensive remediation services in the aftermath of a household disaster.

Water damage can stem from severe weather, melting snow and ice, sump pump failures, sewer backups, and more. No matter the cause, you should always have a professional assess your property. If water damage is not properly treated, it could have repercussions for years to come and leave your home unsafe and uninhabitable.

When you hire Kiser, we’ll be at your property as soon as possible to assess the damage. Before we begin, we’ll explain our process to you to make sure you know everything that will be happening with your property from start to finish.

We’ll locate a number of issues and dangers, including:

• Key hazardous areas within the property
• Areas that suffered water damage during the fire extinguishing process (if applicable)
• Areas that suffered major water damage and require more intensive cleaning

Once your property is secure, we’ll begin the water removal process to eliminate any standing water that may be leftover.

Afterwards, we will assess the extent of the damage and develop a comprehensive restoration plan, providing you with a detailed estimate.

There are many pieces of equipment we can utilize to get standing water out of your home or business. While you may have some of these tools to get started, such as a vacuum, we can bring in heavy-duty equipment and speed up the process. To prevent mold and other bacteria from growing in the affected areas, water should be removed as soon as possible. Our experts will bring in water pumps and additional vacuums to ensure all water is removed from your home or business so the recovery process can begin.

After all the water has been removed, it will need to be aired out to ensure there is no additional moisture. Dehumidifiers and air movers will be used to dry out the affected areas. We also use tools that detect moisture levels to ensure there is a safe level of moisture in all surfaces. Once the all areas are deemed safe, we’ll begin to clean and restore your home or business.

After your property and possessions are properly dried and contain no amount of moisture, or a safe amount of moisture, we will clean them to make sure they are restored to their previous state or as close to it as possible through our contents cleaning process. Your possessions will be cleaned and sanitized to eliminate any bacteria that may have formed.

While sometimes restoring your property requires just some minor repairs, other times we may have to replace entire walls, ceilings, and more to get rid of the harmful bacteria and ensure your building is safe to occupy.

Once you get the green light that it’s safe to enter your home, you can go ahead and start collecting any possessions you can salvage. If you don’t desperately need anything from inside your house, our restoration team will help you handle this task as we move forward with the restoration process.

If there’s substantial water damage in the house, it’s always best to leave your belongings until the contents cleaning and water cleanup teams finish their work.

You may need to find a temporary place to live while the water restoration contractors complete their work.

Most homeowner’s insurance policies entitle you to reimbursement for your living expenses while you’re outside of your home. This means you can claim your hotel bill, meal expenses, and any other additional living costs that are above and beyond what you’d normally pay while living at home.

We specialize in home remodeling services to provide comprehensive services for our clients. It’s usually in your best interest to let your restoration contractors handle any necessary home renovations too.

If portions of your home require reconstruction after sustaining water damage, get an estimate from us on the rebuild as soon as you can. The sooner you get this information to your insurance company, the faster you can proceed with the reconstruction process and move back into your home.