Whether it’s a pipe bursting, a roof leak or other disaster, water damage can strikeunexpectedly at any time. Many people’s first response is to call a water damage repair company, but this can be very expensive, particularly if discovered in the evening or a weekend. It is possible to repair water damage yourself on a limited budget. You will save hundreds or even thousands of dollars in the process. When repairing water damage in your home, time is of the essence. It’s important to act quickly in order mitigate the extent of the damage and prevent secondary issues, such as mold. Water damage repairs left for later can turn into a much more costly issue and lead to the need to remove and replace drywall, flooring and even furniture. The first step is to remove the water using a wet/dry vacuum and for carpet use a carpet cleaning machine both can be rented from many home improvement stores. If the damage occurred near a wall, carefully remove the baseboard and drill large holes through the drywall in the area that can later be recovered by the baseboards. Finish by wiping down the affected areas with a bleach-water solution. If you suspect there is a significant amount of water in a wall, you should open the wall up enough to remove water. In many cases you will need to pull carpet up in order to dry the padding and floor under it. With some luck you will be able to re-lay the carpet after it’s dry. Once the water is removed, you will want to bring in air-flow and heat to dry the space as much as possible. I suggest renting industrial fans and possibly even a dehumidifier for the job. Leave the walls open at until you are certain that the moisture has had sufficient time to dry. This can take several days. Repairing water damage is primarily about removing the water as quickly as possible. If not caught quickly there is a good chance you will need to replace the affected flooring, drywall, furniture and anything else that came into contact with the water. Â
