Clean Up Water Damage To Avoid More Dangers

Water damage from weather or plumbing issues can bring hazards into your home. Wet floors are dangerous, submerged electrical outlets are perilous. But even after the initial water is gone, your family still can be exposed to unnecessary risks. Here are some problems that can arise from improper water damage cleanup.   

Electrical Issues

Water can easily damage the wiring throughout your home. The water does not automatically destroy devices, but it can trigger problems due to corrosion between metal and the circuit boards. This corrosion can lead to blown fuses, damaged electrical appliances, fires or electrocution. As a component of water damage clean up, New Crystal Restoration will inspect and recommend replacing your home’s wiring where needed. 

Germs, Bacteria and YUK

An overflowing toilet or a backup up server will cause a lot more problems than a leaky ice maker. The term “Category 3 water damage” describes source water that is grossly contaminated with pollutants including fungi and bacteria.  Pathogenic or toxic agents can cause significant harm to humans if contacted or consumed.

A professional clean up or restoration team has the materials, techniques and personnel to remove or neutralize any surfaces that have been contaminated. Your family, pets and possessions will not be at risk from contact caused disease.  

Building Material Breakdown

Exterior doors, window sills,  and entryway floors can get damaged from contact with water  through normal wear and tear. But hidden leaks can take a toll on hidden areas. 

Water penetrates through small cracks in concrete, stucco and paneling and seeps into the interior walls. There, it is in contact with the wood used in framing the home.

Rot can begin in damp wood in less than a year if the area has repeated water contact i.e. from rainfall, leak in plumbing pipes, or A/C discharge line. And the rotten substructure weakens floors, roofs and decks. At some point, that unstable bracing will give way and collapse. 

Mold Exposure Now (and In the Future) 

Excess moisture contributes to the growth of mold in homes. The source can be standing water from a broken pipe, a pinprick leak inside a bathroom wall, or even excessive dampness in a closed room This humidity allows for mold, fungus, and mildew to take hold and spread when spores are airborne.   

According to the CDC, people at greatest risk from mold are those with asthma, allergies, or other breathing conditions. People with immune suppression (such as people with HIV infection, cancer patients taking chemotherapy, and people who have received an organ transplant) are more susceptible to mold infections. Patients with weakened immune systems can develop invasive mold infections  weeks after exposure in the home environment. Especially at risk are those: receiving treatment for cancer, have had an organ or stem cell transplant, and taking immunosuppressants. 

Live Healthier In Westchester

New Crystal Restoration focuses on” green cleaning” and restoration services to leave your home healthier than before the water damage. Your family’s health is the most important thing when the crew visits your home. Expect safe chemicals and practices from our team– every time. 

Crystal Restoration was founded in 1960 to help families and business owners restore their properties after fire, floods, and other disasters. As Westchester County’s oldest restoration company, the passion and tradition to serve continues today. Reinvented in 2008 as Westchester’s 1st green restoration company, New Crystal Restoration is the founder’s children’s vision for the future in Westchester. 

If you find water damage, call the team right now. You’ll get a real, live person on  the emergency response line, and a crew will get out to your home as soon as possible.