WHAT TO DO WHEN YOUR PROPERTY HAS SUSTAINED WATER DAMAGE:

1. Safety First.
Make sure you cover your bases to avoid an even greater disaster. Immediately turn off electricity in the area affected by flooding, following all the necessary precautions. If your basement is flooded, DO NOT step into the water until you are sure it is safe. Call an electrician if needed to make sure. Also if the water damage is in your basement and you smell natural gas in the air, immediately turn off your gas or contact your gas company, if you don’t know how to do it yourself. Also create plenty of ventilation and leave the property until help arrives.

2. Act Quickly.
The longer the water stays in your property the more damage it causes. Contact your insurance provider and call a water damage restoration company in your area immediately. Most of the reputable companies can arrive to your premises fairly quickly and start removing the water and salvaging your property.

3. Stop the Water.
This may be a difficult part, but try to determine how the water got there and stop is from filling in, if you can. Again, remember to turn off all the electricity before stepping into the water. Sometimes (when flooding is storm-related for example) it may be impossible to do, but trying will not hurt and may help you reduce the extent of the damage.

4. Save Your Valuables.
WARNING: for your safety do not step into the water until you are sure that all electricity to that area it turned off. Given that the electricity is off and it’s safe, start removing valuables from the affected area. Water affects some materials and objects faster than others, so here is how to prioritize what to remove:

- Paperwork and Family Relics: water ruins paper extremely quickly, so family pictures, financial/tax records, documents, etc. should be tended to first. One tip to follow is placing papers in the freezer until you can get to them. This will prevent further damage to them
- Electrical Items: this is usually what is ruined first when water strikes. However if your TV was mounted on the wall, for example, and water has not reached it, it is advisable to remove it to prevent damage by moisture in the air.
- Wood furniture: water penetrates and warps wood very quickly, but if the flood just happened, you may be able to save the wood furniture and not have to replace it.

5. Let Air Flow.
Air circulation helps force moisture out of the room, so turn on the air conditioner to low temperatures and open windows, doors, even closets to allow free air circulation.

We hope these steps will help you cope with the first part of your water damage restoration process. To get any other questions answered or to have water damage restoration company in Chicago area come out to your property, call us 24/7 at 773.326.4090.