Become Familiar with Signs of Northampton Home Water Damage

10/3/2019 (Permalink)

Regardless of the room affected, water damage can cause extensive problems and needs thorough remediation. Contact SERVPRO right away.

Stopping Primary and Secondary Water Damage in Affected Northampton Properties

A water spill leads to a wide range of damages. Primary damage happens soon after exposure while secondary damage takes time. Most forms of secondary damages are challenging to fix or even irreparable. Stopping both categories of water damage depends on several factors, including understanding the effects water has on different materials at different times. Common primary and secondary damages include:

•   Wet contents and building materials

•   Soiling on surfaces

•   Discoloration

•   Warping, buckling and other alterations in wood

•   Staining

•   Mold development

The instantaneous nature of primary water damage in affected Northampton properties means turning off the sources and removing any standing water are the best ways to stop it. However, it might not be that easy to accomplish these steps. Alternative approaches, such as establishing the most vulnerable materials, and taking immediate steps to save them before moving to the resilient ones, can help. Simple actions such as removing area rugs, books, and clothes from the floors can help prevent the difficult task of dealing with discoloration from running dyes and even stains.

Apart from contact, exposure time also plays a role in determining the types of resultant damages. The longer materials remain exposed to water, the more it penetrates the structure of the material if it has low permeance. For materials with high permeance, longer exposure breaks down the material compromising its structural integrity. Materials such as drywall discolor and crumble while wood swells. Our SERVPRO teams help deal with this aspect by using advanced water extraction equipment that can handle thousands of gallons within a short period.

Even with the best effort, some severe damage might still happen. For example, buckling or cupping on wooden floors or furniture stains on carpets. Our SERVPRO technicians assess the extent of the damage to determine whether remedial action can help save the affected material. We can sand-out cupping to save wooden floors. For carpet stains, we start removal processes while the carpet is still wet.

Restoration efforts after water loss should address both primary and secondary damages. Call SERVPRO of Hampshire County at (413) 324-1300 to assist. We're Faster To Any Size Disaster.

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