When you talk or think about water damage, you probably think about the most catastrophic scenarios: flooded basements, burst pipes, sewage overflow, and the like.
But the truth is that water damage also encompasses minor issues such as drips from ceiling cracks, dishwasher discharge, and washing machine leaks.
When these issues are left unresolved, they can result in distorted ceilings and walls, soaked carpets, mold, foundation problems, and other structural hazards.
On top of making life difficult, property damage can decrease the value of your home and pretty much turn it into a hard sell.
If you plan to sell or lease out your home but it has sustained a degree of water damage, here are some tips to help you restore its value and make it worth the price tag:
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Keep It Safe and Dry
The most obvious first step to restoring a water-damaged property is to eliminate all the water.
However, some people forget that they need to do this safely. Before entering a flooded property, make sure to wear gloves and rain boots to prevent exposure to bacteria and other harmful substances.
If there’s a chance that your cables and wirings have come into contact with water, turn off your home’s power system. It’s easy to do this yourself, but you can also call an electrician to handle it for you.
After deeming the area safe enough, you can start the process of drying out your home. Make sure to wear protective clothing and use buckets to remove the water if you don’t have an electric pump.
Scour the area for salvageable belongings and throw away all other damaged items and debris.
Furthermore, it’s best to remove water-damaged parts of your home such as wet drywall to prevent mold.
Once power has been restored, you can turn on fans, dehumidifiers, and similar appliances to dry out the damaged area.
You can also use a wet-dry vacuum to help get everything dry, especially if the area did not sustain high levels of standing water.
It’s important to get your property dry as soon as possible or risk the onset of mold and mildew.
Determine Needs for Repairs
If the water damage in your property is caused by a pipe leak, you have to determine the source and have it repaired.
In cases of flooding, however, you may need to make further repairs to your walls, flooring, and overall foundations.
The cost and extent of renovations may impact the selling price of your property. As such, you may need the services of a real estate agent to help you adjust your asking price.
You can check out this article to have an overview of what real estate agents do and how they can help you.
Apart from ceiling, floor, and wall repairs, you may also need electrical rewiring, insulation replacement, plumbing repairs, and a bit of redecorating.
You can work with businesses that specialize in water damage restoration and home renovation to determine how to address the damages.
Flood-proof Your Property
Prevention is better than cure, and disasters can help us be wiser in our choices.
When restoring your property, you may want to consider further upgrades to flood-proof the whole structure.
For one, you can install a sump pump in your crawl space or basement. A sump pump expels water from a room through a drainage pipe that leads to the outside.
It also activates automatically once the water levels reach a certain threshold.
As another safety precaution, you can replace the materials in your home with water-proof alternatives.
Timber is a common building material for houses, but it’s also vulnerable to moisture and water damage.
Consider going for less water-susceptible materials such as hardwood, cement, or engineering bricks.
It may also help to elevate the structure of your home to avoid flood damage. If your budget isn’t enough for this upgrade, you can check your options for protective barriers or drainages instead.
On a related note, it might be a good idea to get a specialist who can make accurate predictions of flood levels for your property.
A professional may help you identify “watertight” areas and determine the best spots to place power outlets, gas entry points, electrical wiring, and windows.
Doing so ensures added safety in times of water-related emergencies.
Your crawl space is part of the features that protect your home from flooding. You might consider encapsulating it to enhance its ability to stay dry.
Crawl space encapsulation involves sealing the area with a vapor barrier, usually made of heavy-duty plastic or other moisture-resistant materials. This barrier prevents moisture from seeping into the crawl space, reducing the risk of mold, mildew, and wood rot. During a flood, this barrier can prevent floodwaters from infiltrating the crawl space and causing damage.
It Also Offers the Following Benefits:
- Improved drainage: When installed with a drainage system, usually involving a sump pump or perimeter drains, it helps redirect excess water away from the crawl space, reducing the likelihood of flooding during heavy rainfall or severe leakage.
- Reduced humidity: Encapsulation helps control humidity levels within the crawl space. High humidity can lead to condensation, raising the risk of mold growth and wood decay. Maintaining lower humidity levels decreases the potential for long-term issues.
- Better structural integrity: Excess moisture can weaken a home’s foundation and structural components. Crawl space encapsulation prevents it from damaging wooden beams, floor joists, and the foundation itself. This added protection can make your home more resilient to flood-related damage.
- Energy efficiency: Encapsulation can also improve the energy efficiency of a home. Sealing off the crawl space prevents cold air from entering during the winter and hot air from entering during the summer. This can lead to lower heating and cooling costs.
Note that this solution may backfire in heavily flood-prone areas. Consult an expert first to check if it’s right for your home.
Contact Your Insurance Provider
Depending on your insurance policy, you can claim losses due to water damage and keep your wallet from getting drained of repair expenses.
Make sure to document everything before, after, and during cleanup activities. Photo and video evidence of water damage will help your adjuster determine if you’re qualified for insurance coverage.
That said, you need to remember that not all homeowners’ insurance policies cover flood damages.
Thus, it would be wise to be clear about the insurance policy coverage before you sign anything.
Restoring Your Property’s Worth
Damages due to water or natural disasters can bring headaches to property owners in more ways than one.
Restoration activities can cost a pretty penny, and depending on the severity of the damage, they can get homeowners in a financial rut—especially when the property is up for sale.
With that in mind, it’s always a good idea to proactively prevent water damage from happening by scheduling maintenance activities, getting your property insured, and addressing damages as soon as possible.
Restoring a property following water-related damages can take up to a week, which may extend further because water tends to spread very quickly.
Still, getting your home to look like what it’s worth doesn’t have to be an impossible task.
You just need a strong sense of urgency, foresight, and mindfulness to make every inch of your home truly worth the cost.
