Floodings and water damage to homes and business establishments have not only affected the building of the structure itself, but everything else inside the structure at the time of the flooding or water damage. Tremendous loss could pile up if these properties are left as is and water damage restoration efforts are not done or delayed for some other time.

The following describe basic procedures in water damage restoration for major furniture and appliances common to homes and other establishments.

Electronic and Electrical Equipments

As a general rule, never turn on any electrical or electronic appliances, gadgets and equipments that have been affected by water damage until complete drying has taken place. Fuse breakers, electrical panels, switch boxes and other outlets should be thoroughly checked by electricians before attempting to turn them on. Panels from sockets should be removed to check for accumulated water inside junction boxes and conduits.

Electronic and electrical appliances include cellular phones, television, refrigerators, microwave ovens, stereos and any other electrical appliances commonly found in homes and offices. Drying for these equipments is not as simple as leaving them out in the open and allowing them to dry out naturally. Such moves will only make matters worse and prevent proper water damage restoration to take place. Have skilled technicians look into these gadgets, drying them out section-by-section and physically checking for damaged parts. Only after these parts are thoroughly dried and put back into place should owners try to check function by turning them on.

Heating Systems

Heating systems can use gas, wood or electricity. If the system has been submerged under water, parts should be detached and checked for standing water and physical damage. The blower motors, switches and other controls should be checked by technicians if still usable. Clean the air ducts for dirt and debris. If serious damage has occurred, it would be better to replace these air ducts. Water damage restoration for this equipment includes changing filters as well as insulators that have come into contact with the floodwater.

Wooden Furniture

The most important aspect in water damage restoration for wooden furniture is to watch out for warping, cracking and deformation. Wood should be dried in a slow process to avoid deformation. Never leave them out in the sun to dry naturally or this will create cracks and cause layers to split. Some of the woodworks are joined by water-soluble glue and these can loosen and eventually detach after being soaked in water. These, however, can still be repaired after the wood has totally dried and water damage restoration has been completed.

Fans or air blowers can be used to spot-dry this furniture. For very expensive wooden items, it is advised to apply slow drying, to prevent warpage and deformation. A simple method of doing this is to encase the furniture in polyethylene sheets and put dehumidifiers and moisture absorbing dessicants inside these sheets.

Upholstered Furniture

It would be difficult to perform water damage restoration for upholstered furniture that has been exposed to water for a long time. Restoration companies would usually advice owners to discard the piece and prevent the risk of mold infestations to take place. However, there might be a chance for recovery, and owners will definitely push for this particularly for very expensive sets.

Thoroughly clean the surface with a solution made from detergent and bleach. Leathers are easier to clean than fiber types, which may need wet/dry vacuum cleaners or even sub-layer cleaners to remove embedded dirt. The stuffing should definitely be discarded, as this would be the main source of mold infestation. This can easily be replaced by cotton or other padding materials. Springs and other metal parts should be well oiled after cleaning and drying.

As a final step, sterilize the furniture by applying fungicide and disinfectant.

Beds and Mattresses

Beds that have been totally soaked in floodwater should be discarded. Most beds have organic stuffing that can definitely house molds and create a severe infestation. If there is a need to recover the bed, due to its intrinsic value or personal importance to the owner, it is advisable to let professionals do the restoration.

If the need is just for a temporary use while a replacement is being purchased, dry the mattress as much as possible under the sun. Apply carpet deodorizers and sterilize using a fungicide and disinfectant. Before using it, cover the mattress with polyethylene or rubber sheets as a safety precaution.

However, it is not advisable to keep this for a longer time to prevent mold infestation and cause health risk for your family.