Water damage is an issue that can easily ruin your day if you let it go unchecked. Nobody is really ever planning on having to deal with water damage, so having to deal with it in the first place is a struggle. With water damage coming out of seemingly nowhere and causing substantial damage to homes, every homeowner needs to make sure they are prepared to deal with whatever issues come up.
With many people trying to deal with water damage issues, there are a lot of common misconceptions that people have about water damage and how to deal with it. From cleaning it up to what to do first, everyone has different thoughts on how to deal with the issue. To help give you some clarity, let’s take a look at 7 misconceptions that you might have about water damage.
1) Calling insurance is the first step
When something goes wrong at home, many people feel that they need to contact insurance first. With insurance being a helpful way to deal with finances and getting help in some cases, water damage is not like other home issues. With an issue like water damage, your first priority should always be to get rid of the problem as soon as possible.
If you call insurance and don’t take immediate action, you could risk having serious damage set in as the water damage takes its course. Contact water clean up services immediately when you notice an issue with your water system so that they can get right to work and prevent any further damage from happening.
2) What you can see is all the damage
Similar to when you get in a car accident, many people believe that the only damage present is the damage that can be seen by the naked eye. Unfortunately, this is rarely the case with any water related issue. As water is so fluid and able to get almost anywhere, the water damage can be much worse than it appears upon first glance.
Whether it has found its way into your walls or ceilings, water has the power to get in places that are not visible to the naked eye. The ability of water to get where you can’t see it transitions perfectly into the next common misconception.
3) You can fix the damage yourself
Everyone likes to think of themselves as a smart homeowner who is ready for anything, but you often need very specific and important skills to deal with issues like water damage. Sure, you can go and find rental equipment to try and get rid of some water, but you just won’t be able to address the issue with the same precision and confidence as the experts.
Water damage is tricky to get rid of as the water can get anywhere and cause long-term damage. Calling the right water damage restoration company will help ensure that your home is safe from issues that you can’t get rid of yourself without the expert knowledge that the right company has.
4) Getting rid of the water is all you need to do
The immediate step to take with water damage is to just get rid of the water. This may seem like all you need to do to get rid of the issue, but there is much more to the bigger picture. Since water can sit and turn into a more serious issue, you will likely need to have the affected area disinfected and properly sanitized to ensure that all traces of water are gone to prevent future serious issues.
5) Water damage is easy to fix
Setting up a dehumidifier and getting rid of the initial water seems like a good amount of work to get rid of water, but you need to do more to really get rid of the problem. What makes It so hard for even the experts to fully get rid of the damage is the fact that water is unlike other issues where water can hide and cause damage over time. Because of this, it is a very hard process to effectively get rid of water to help keep your home safe from issues.
6) It’s not going to smell bad
It’s a common thought to believe that because the water that causes flooding was clean, it shouldn’t smell bad. Unfortunately, this just isn’t the case. If you are able to get the water removed efficiently and have the damage taken care of, there is less of a likelihood that the water will cause smells. If the issue is not addressed quickly, the water can very easily create harmful mold and mildew that smells bad and is often dangerous to be around.
This is an essential thing to remember as signs of bad smells in a water damaged area can lead to more severe issues in the future if not taken care of by a removal specialist.
7) Insurance won’t cover the issue
Many people believe that water damage is not covered in insurance, but the reality is many companies are willing to help to some degree. If you have flooding and water damage insurance, your insurance company can help pay to get rid of the initial water damage and remove water so that the issue is removed.
However, if you don’t get the issue taken care of immediately, the story can change. Calling the right water removal specialists is so important because if the water is not removed effectively, there is a greater chance that your insurance company won’t be able to offer you complete coverage.
Conclusion
You may have initially thought that water damage is no big issue and that it can be taken care of with ease, but now you can see the real truth. Water damage doesn’t have to be a scary issue to worry about but having the right professionals on hand to help is the best way to prevent issues.
