Floods and water damage never take time off in our city, and so you can’t either. Keep a close watch on your plumbing system year round, schedule routine maintenance visits, and don’t let any warning signs, like leaks or mold, go untreated.

Of course, even the most vigilant home plumber can’t stave off every disaster before it strikes.

Whether it’s a burst pipe, a collapsed ceiling, or a basement flood from an appliance, odds are good that your home will get drenched at some point. Here’s how to quickly and safely dry out your home after a major water system disaster:

1.) Turn Off the Power, then Unplug Your Appliances

If water is spilling out near appliances and outlets, it’s vital that you immediately cut off the supply of power in the area, lest the flood turns your basement or hallway into an electrified danger zone. Unplug or remove any electrical devices at the first sign of trouble, after turning off the supply of power to the area, if possible.

2.) Remove Valuable Objects

Next, get your furniture and other important goods out of the afflicted area; you may be able to save them before they sustain too much water damage. Then turn your attention to the carpets, area rugs, and underpadding. Your underpadding will likely absorb too much water to be reusable, but you may save enough carpet to be usable after cleaning and disinfection.

3.) Dry the Area

Once the flood is over, it’s time to turn your attention to drying out the affected region – before mold and irreparable damage have time to set in. There are several methods you can try to get rid of standing water:

• Manually soak up water with mops and towels
• Capture and toss out water with buckets or pails; you can probably send this water down the drain, or pour it out onto your lawn or driveway
• Use a wet-dry vac – but be very careful, and avoid this method completely if it may mean getting shocked
• Rent a high-volume sump pump from a local hardware store

Once you’ve removed the bulk of the water, continue to dry out the area by getting air circulating. Try using a dehumidifier and box fans to blow the area dry and open up your windows to let the breeze in, if possible.

4.) Deal with the Damage

You’ll probably need to ditch some soaked features, including drywall and baseboard trim, right away; otherwise, these areas will become havens for mold growth. Once the area has dried, you’ll also want to clean it all with disinfectant, to help kill any of the bacteria that may have come from potentially dirty water.

5.) Watch for Mold

As you dispose of or treat the water damage in the afflicted area in the days and months ahead, keep a watchful eye out for mold growth. Mold and mildew love dank, wet patches of space, and there may be plenty of water soaked into dark areas that you may not notice with your naked eye.

If you start to see the early warning signs of mold, try some of our tried-and-true tips for clearing it away!

And, of course, if you have any questions or concerns, don’t be afraid to drop Combat Plumbing a line! Whether you want to tune up your plumbing system or stop a crisis in its tracks, our team is here, day or night, to lend a helping hand.