If your home has experienced any flood or fire damage, you may feel overwhelmed about where you need to go and what you need to do to fix the issues. When you suffer from a fire or flood, you are already dealing with so much emotional damage. Fixing the damage in your home should be an easy and efficient experience. Whether the damage in your home was caused by water, fire, or termite damage, finding the right restoration company is important to making the experience quick and painless.
Water Damage
Water damage in your home can lead to a lot of problems and it can be caused by many different things. No matter what caused it and where the damage is, not fixing the damage can affect the stability and safety of your home. Water can damage the structural integrity of the home, as well as create an environment for bacteria and mold to grow. Water damage is anything where water is left in places that it doesn’t belong.
What Can Cause Water Damage: One of the biggest causes of water damage is flooding. This flooding can happen due to inclement weather, or broken pipes, plumbing, or appliances. You could experience flooding from sewage leaks inside and outside of the home as well.
Effects of Water Damage: The most important effect of water damage is the growth of mold and bacteria. This growth can cause serious illnesses if left untreated. If water damage is left untreated, mold is often present. For some of the effects of mold on people, check out this website. Other effects of water damage are the rot in the drywall, studs, and beams. This rot will ruin the structural integrity of the building, sometimes making it dangerous to inhabit. Some appliances and furniture could be affected by water damage as well. Before checking the appliances or furniture for damage, do the following:
- Unplug the appliance from the outlet. In case there is water damage, keeping the appliance plugged in could cause a wire to short-circuit which could cause a fire.
- Inspect the appliance for mild by looking for any discoloration or smell. If mold is found, the appliance should be taken to a professional.
- Clean out any extra water by mopping or soaking up the puddle. You can use a fan to dry the area quicker
- Replace the appliance or furniture if mold cannot be removed.
Water damage can cause significant damage to all aspects of your house. It can affect the actual structure itself, as well as the flooring, furniture, and appliances inside. Finding a good restoration company and getting those issues resolved quickly is essential to making sure your home remains safe and livable. Make sure you get a professional in as soon as possible if you suspect any water damage in your home.
Fire Damage
Typically fires in homes can be catastrophic events. We usually think of fire as consuming the whole home, leaving nothing left. However, some fires can cause significant damage to the home without destroying the whole house. The damage to a home after a fire usually comes from two things, heat damage and water damage from the water needed to put it out.
Heat Damage can damage roofs, siding, stucco, windows, wiring, gutters, HVAC systems, insulation, and doors. Some damage will be visible to the naked eye; other damage might require a professional to check and do testing to find the extent of the damage. Companies like FirstSouthernRestoration.com can provide this expert understanding of the damage caused by excessive heat. These companies can also provide the necessary restoration to make your home safe and livable again.
Depending on the level of destruction, rebuilding parts of the home or complete demolition might be necessary. When a fire damages the structural components of the home, demolition and rebuilding certain parts could be necessary. In some cases, replacing the damaged areas is a quick job. In other cases, you might have issues with foundational components.
Water Damage can occur when the firefighters fight the fire. Large amounts of water are needed to put out a house fire. This water can damage furniture, appliances, and structural pieces of the house, such as floors, walls, beams, and joists. If this is the case, getting the water damage taken care of is necessary before the house can be considered safe to live in. Water damage can foster growth in mold and bacteria.
Professional repair services should be called in to assess the water damage and fix any issues that could be caused by both the heat and the water. The repair and restoration process can depend on the extent of the damage. For a fire, the structure needs to be assessed before any restoration can take place. If the structure is deemed sound and safe, restoration technicians will remove the damaged pieces of the house and replace or repair them as needed.
Termite Damage
Termite damage is caused by subterranean insects that eat wood. This can be problematic for homeowners with wood joists, beams, and foundations. When termites start feeding on the wooden components in your home, it can cause the structural integrity of the wood to fail. When the pieces of your home start to fail, your home could become unsafe to be in. Termites could feed on your walls and floors without your knowledge for years.
If you have termites, you will have signs of mud tubes, buckling wood, and blistered flooring. There are a lot of signs of termites to look for if you suspect you have termites. You might also see their droppings, which are made up of wood, or hear them inside the walls. These signs indicate you should see a termite professional to check for damage and remove the pests.
Termite Repair: The first step is to remove the termites from the home. This typically requires an extensive process where an exterminator tents your house and kills all the bugs with chemicals. During this process, the home should be empty of any people or pets for a specific period of time. These chemicals can be hazardous to anyone in the home. Once the termites are gone and the home has been well ventilated, you can repair the damage caused by termites by either replacing the damaged wood or adding supports to the damaged wood.
