12 Water Damage Restoration Tips for Homeowners

A leaky pipe, broken appliance, or roof leak can cause serious damage to your home and everything in it, so it’s important to know how to properly restore your home back to its original condition after water damage. Water damage restoration can be a complicated process, and you don’t want to miss anything that could lead to problems down the line. Use these 12 water damage restoration tips to get your home back to normal as soon as possible.

1. Determine if You Need a Pro

You can’t handle all water damage by yourself. Depending on the extent and severity of the damage, you may want to hire a water damage restoration pro to tackle the job. A local water damage restoration company can fix serious water damage safely and correctly.

Water damage restoration can take days or even weeks, depending on the damage, so knowing who to call after water damage can help get you back to normal after severe water damage much faster than doing it yourself, and you can be confident the job is done right. Save DIY water damage restoration for when the damage is minor and isolated.

2. Address the Water Source

Water damage can quickly ruin a home, so before going any further, make sure you identify the cause of the water damage and fix the problem. Leaving a roof leak that causes water damage, broken fixtures or appliances, malfunctioning gutters, or other water sources will only guarantee you’ll need to repeat the restoration process when there’s more damage later.

3. Remove Standing Water

Once the damage source has been dealt with, remove any standing water from the affected area. If there is any live electrical wiring in the area, cut the power before starting work. Prevent further damage by using a shop vac, towels, mop, or other methods to remove any standing water. The faster you remove water, the less damage there will be. 

4. Dry Out the Area

It’s not enough to remove standing water—you also need to remove the lingering humidity in the air. The longer the area remains damp, the more damage can occur and the more likely your home is to develop mold or mildew. Running fans after water damage, increasing ventilation by opening windows, and using dehumidifiers can all help quickly dry out a room.

5. Disinfect 

Even small amounts of contaminated water can be hazardous to your health. Use a 1:10 bleach solution to clean affected surfaces. This dilution is stronger than the recommended 1:32 ratio for standard cleaning, so use a respirator mask, gloves, and eye protection and ensure the area has plenty of ventilation.

6. Inspect for Mold

Mold can grow quickly after water damage, so look for early signs of mold in the affected area. If you discover that mold has started growing, call a mold remediation expert to safely remove it.

7. Remove Damaged Items

Water damage can permanently destroy your belongings, so inspect all items in the area and remove anything that’s been damaged. Water-damaged items can develop mold, so getting rid of affected items can reduce the health risks associated with mold growth.

8. Repair or Replace Flooring

Carpeting, laminate, and other types of flooring can bear the brunt of water damage, and in many cases, you’ll need to replace the flooring. Water can seep underneath the flooring material to the subfloor, so pull up the flooring in the affected area and inspect the subfloor as well. 

9. Repair Damaged Ceilings

Roof leaks and burst pipes between floors may cause serious ceiling damage, which can lead to a ceiling collapse if not handled correctly. Fix your water-damaged ceiling to prevent mold growth, ceiling collapse, and more widespread damage.

10. Replace Affected Drywall and Baseboards

Your walls and baseboards can be warped, weakened, and otherwise damaged by water. Quickly replacing damaged drywall and baseboards will reduce the risk of mold growth and compromised wall structure.

11. Prime, Paint, and Caulk

Once you’ve replaced any damaged materials and are almost back to pre-damage conditions, seal in your hard work and help minimize future damage by properly priming, painting, and caulking. 

12. Install a Water Detection System 

Water damage can be sudden and unexpected, but you can still take steps to proactively prevent it from happening again. Water detection devices can alert you in the early stages of water damage so you can fix the problem before it causes serious damage. Some water detection systems can even prevent water damage when you’re away by shutting off the water supply when a leak is detected.

Common Signs of Household Water Damage

It’s important to catch water damage early. The most common signs that indicate you have a moisture problem are rotting, buckling, or peeling surfaces, which show up in 31% of cases. Damp or wet areas are also common indicators at 26.5%. Some homeowners notice stains, discoloration, and odor from water damage.