What to Do With Your Belongings After Water Damage

8/22/2023 (Permalink)

Understand what to do with your belongings after you've been affected by water damage with SERVPRO in Jacksonville Beach, Ponte Vedra & Atlantic Beach

What to Do With Your Belongings After Water Damage

Water damage does more than damage the structure of your home. Your personal belongings, such as furniture, valuables, and sentimental items, may also fall victim to the disaster. When this unfavorable event occurs, you may be left wondering how to navigate the restoration process.

SERVPRO is here to handle your home water damage restoration, guiding you through the process of restoring your belongings with a compilation of the necessary steps required.

Assess the Damage

Before diving into trying to restore your belongings, it’s important to assess the damage. Take a look around your home and document the extent of the damage. Make a list of any items that have been damaged and determine which items are salvageable and which are beyond repair.

Remove Wet Items

Remove any wet items from your home, including carpets, furniture, and any other personal belongings. Place these items in a dry, well-ventilated area to allow them to begin drying out on their own. Air-drying your items indoors is effective. However, you will want to make sure it is not hot or humid. Using low-power fans, air conditioners, and dehumidifiers will help this process.

Begin the Cleaning Process

Water damage is accompanied by dirt and debris, meaning you will need to clean your belongings once they are mostly dry. For the cleaning process, use soft cloths and gentle brushes, as water damage will compromise the resilience of your belongings, making them more prone to damage.

Documents, photographs, and books must be separated from other paper items and placed apart with a paper towel to help to dry them out. These items may bleed or rip if they are handled too roughly, so it’s imperative to treat them with their fragility in mind.

Preserve Your Items

Restoring your belongings after your home has been affected by water damage is a time-consuming task. If you are in a time crunch, you can place smaller items such as photos, documents, books, and textiles in your freezer to clean them at a later date. This preservation method prevents the items from developing mold and further damage, and enables you to focus on more demanding items before moving on to smaller restoration jobs.

Dispose of Items in Disrepair

Items in a state of disrepair are an unfortunate reality of water damage. While it may be challenging to accept that you must part ways with certain items you love throughout your home, there are just some things that can’t be salvaged and will need to be disposed of to make room for the restoration of your home.

Trust the Water Damage Clean-Up Professionals

SERVPRO is Florida’s leading provider of home restoration services. If your home has been affected by detrimental water damage, it’s crucial to call in the professionals to minimize the damage and restore your home to its preloss condition. Contact the industry-leading water damage restoration professionals today to learn more about our expert services.