So you have a pipe leak in your home. What should you do next? Pipe leaks can range from a minor amount of leaking to hundreds of gallons of water flooding into your home in a matter of minutes. Below, we at Oregon Restoration in Bend, Oregon, will walk you through the water damage cleanup steps that follow after a pipe leak.
Stop The Leak And Assess The Damage
First things first, stopping the leak and the accumulating damage as quickly as possible is essential. The cost and length of water damage cleanup are primarily tied to how much water is in your home and how long the water has been there. By stopping the leak right away, you can limit how much water ends up in your home in the first place.
Once the leak has been stopped, a professional water damage cleanup company will assess and catalog the extent of the damage. This will allow them to give you a cost estimate and an estimate for how long the water damage cleanup process should take. 
Water Extraction And Drying
Expedient water extraction and drying are critical to the water damage cleanup process. A professional restoration company will use its extensive manpower and high-powered equipment to remove the standing water and extract the remaining moisture as quickly as possible. The speed and quality of water damage cleanup work in this step will determine how the rest of the process goes.
Damage Cleanup
Once the water has been removed, the water damage cleanup begins. This means removing any materials that are too damaged to salvage, like soaked drywall, warped flooring, or ruined insulation. Furniture and personal belongings may also need to be evaluated to determine if they can be restored or should be discarded. This step clears the way for a clean, safe environment and prevents lingering moisture from causing additional problems like mold or structural weakening.
Sanitization And Mold Prevention
Simply removing the water isn’t enough. If the water contained any contaminants, then your home should be thoroughly cleaned to remove these contaminants. Thorough cleaning is also merited to prevent mold damage or stop it in its tracks. Finally, even if the water is free of contaminants, it could carry other contaminants already in your home (like cleaning chemicals) to other areas of your home.
Once this is complete, your home should be back in good shape and recovered from the water damage. Some contents restoration for your damaged possessions may follow, but your home itself is clear at this point.
Water Damage Cleanup in Bend, OR
Hopefully, you never have to deal with the water damage from a pipe leak in your home or commercial property. Although if you do, following the water damage cleanup steps listed above will help you recover from the damage and get back on your feet. That involves giving us at Oregon Restoration in Bend, Oregon, or another qualified water damage cleanup company without delay.
