Having a home or business fire devastates many families each year. While many people may not experience this type of incident in their lives, it can be overwhelming to everyone involved when it does happen.
Even when homes are saved from a fire, the water damage that results from extinguishing the flames will be significant. Let’s look further at this common issue to understand what to expect if your property has water damage after a fire.
How Much Damage Water Can Do
Water is one of the most damaging substances to your home. Our houses are built to keep water either contained within pipes or to keep water outside during rain. This means that most of the materials used in a home can easily be damaged with water.
The cleanup of any items in your home must take place almost immediately to restore your property without further damage.
Health Risks of Water Damage
It is not only the damage that will occur to your property that is a problem. The health risks of having water in your home are real and can cause sickness within your family. Here are a few examples of health risks after water damage occurs.
- Mold: Mold is one of the most important substances to avoid within your home. Doctors have learned that mold spores can make people with allergies, asthma, or immune deficiencies very sick. Healthy persons are also at risk when exposed to mold over long periods. Mold loves moisture and a dark place to grow. If your home has experienced water damage, it is essential to have all moisture removed.
- Disease: Bacteria, like mold, thrive in moisture. If moisture is not completely removed from a home, bacteria will find a way to live and could spread to the home’s occupants.
Electrical Safety
While damage and long-term health hazards may exist, you cannot forget about the more immediate dangers that exist after a home sustains water damage after a fire. It is a good idea to turn off your electricity and keep it off until all of the water around your electrical outlets, switches, and lights has been removed.
Water and electrical energy do not mix. When you have standing water or even residual water near electrical circuits, it can result in electrocution to you or a family member.
Getting Back To Normal
Getting back to your normal life after water damage from fire takes hours of patience and hard work to clean up the mess and recover your property. Although not impossible to do yourself, you will be taking the risk of having more property ruined, and the health risks will go up the longer it takes to remove all of the moisture from your home.
Professional fire and water restoration companies have the equipment, knowledge, and training to make sure your home is restored to its original condition and keep everyone safe at the same time. The experts will work with your insurance company and complete the job in much less time than you can do on your own.