If your property suffers from water damage there are a few things that you will need to consider. Water can be a very serious issue if you do not take care of it as soon as possible. Your number one priority after everyone is safe is to make certain that whatever has caused the flooding has stopped. For example, if you have a busted or leaking pipe you will want to stop the leak and make sure you turn off your electricity. This will prevent any further flooding and by shutting off the electricity you will prevent any serious injuries due to electrical shock.
The next step should be to mitigate the water by extracting it. The amount and type of water does matter in this situation. If it is clean or gray water you may be able to do this yourself with the proper tools. Clean water would be water from a pipe or rain water. Grey water would be water from something like a dishwasher our laundry room. Lastly you have black water which could be anything from sewage to flooding due to a river overflowing. Black water is the most dangerous as it carries a lot of bacteria that can cause sickness and disease.
You will want to remove the water as soon as possible and dry out any moisture as the next thing that can happen is mold growth. It only takes about 24hrs for mold to take hold and start to spread. You will want to dry out or remove any porous materials. This can include any upholstered items, clothing, and even wood. If you have wood floors you will want to pay attention for any warping or buckling. Any warped or buckled flooring will need to be removed and replaced.
It is common practice to conduct what is called exploratory demolition. This involves cutting a 2ft. high hole in your drywall from the floor. This will expose beams and allow you to see inside and inspect for any moisture or mold. If you find any moisture it is important that you dry it out.
If you have a major flood it is important that you seek out professional help. By seeking the help of a professional water restoration company you can help make certain that your home is dried out correctly and any moisture is taken care of to help prevent any mold growth. This will help protect your investment and help to maintain the value of your house should you choose to sell in the future.