Before you can begin restoring your property after water damage, you first need to assess the damage. It can take a while to examine everything and figure out what type of water damage your property has suffered. Here’s everything you need to know about water mitigation; learning what to expect during the process eases the entire process.

What Is Water Mitigation?

First, you need to know what water mitigation is, as it’s not something everyone has a strong knowledge of. Water mitigation is a process that involves assessing, controlling, and stopping water from damaging multiple areas on a property.

When workers enter an area with a lot of water, they immediately remove it before drying the structure of moisture. Water restoration follows from there.

Is Water Mitigation the Same as Water Restoration?

Water mitigation is an entirely separate process from water restoration. As most know, restoration is about rebuilding something to its prior condition, with some added modifications to prevent damage from the incident from happening again in the same area.

The Causes of Water Damage

Water damage can happen anywhere and for any reason, including basement flooding and frozen pipes. These things can drastically harm a property, causing severe structural damage that becomes more expensive the longer you leave it unattended.

The other ways a home or business could be damaged by flood waters include:

• Natural disasters

• Dishwasher clogs

• Gutter clogs

• Damaged roofing

The Types of Water Damage

There are three types of water damage you should know about so that you can easily find the signs of wear. The first is clean water damage, which is typically a safe type of damage and the easiest to remove. Normally, clean water comes from backed-up or clogged toilets, washing machines, or dishwashers.

The second and most dangerous type of water damage comes from black water. Black water tends to smell rotten or musty. You shouldn’t touch or go anywhere near this pool of water because it generally carries disease-causing pathogens. This water type usually comes from backed-up sewers, toilets, and overflowing rivers.

The final type is gray water. This is the middle ground that should still be avoided unless you’re using the proper equipment, but it’s not as dangerous as blackwater damage. Gray water often smells like mildew; you could find where the smell is coming from by checking for roof, pipe, or dishwasher leaks.

How Do You Know What Type of Water Damage You Have?

You can always tell what type of water damage you have by inspecting what’s in the water. For example, blackwater has bodily waste, while gray water has a gray tint caused by the chemicals present in it, such as dishwasher detergent or urine.

Follow these tips to figure out your water damage type.

• Wear gloves and a face mask before entering the area.

• Shine a flashlight over the water to see if you can see through it, if it’s cloudy, or if it’s completely dark.

• Call a professional and tell them the water’s description—they’ll help you assess the type of water damage and tell you what the next step is in the process.

How the Water Mitigation Process Works

The entire water mitigation process follows set steps, so it’s not something that’s going to be completed in one day, especially if there is a significant amount of damage. Depending on the destruction, the process may be difficult for one person to do. Hiring a professional team of water mitigation workers helps streamline the process of removing water.

Find the Source of Water Damage

You can do this step on your own. Since you know the signs of water damage, take some time to look for the source of the damage. If a flood caused the damage, the signs would be unmistakable. Check in the basement, around the outside of your building, and near your pipes. If any lines seem loose, cracked, or broken, immediately shut off the valve and block off the area.

Assess the Water Type

Identify the type of water damage in questions after you’ve blocked the area off. Remember to shine a flashlight over the water if the area’s too dark to see. If the water’s too dark, it’s black water, and you should contact a professional immediately.

Remove as Much Water as You Can

If you have one, you can use your own sump pump to pump out the water. However, if you don’t have a sump pump or any other type of water removal gear, contact a professional water mitigation company.

Bring in the Professionals

Don’t contact a water renovation company—they will handle remodeling your home or business after water mitigators remove the water from the area. A professional water mitigation company will remove the water and find other sites where water might be present.

Contact Your Insurance Company

Make sure to contact your insurance company as well. If you have water damage insurance or flood insurance for your property, it’s crucial to report the damage immediately to your insurance company. Before contacting them, shut off all water lines and block off the area.

Make sure you understand and are aware of what’s covered under your insurance policy because they won’t cover all types of damage. Most of the time, insurance companies will only cover the following things under water damage insurance:

• Storm damage

• Sewer backups

• Flood damage

Make sure to document everything, take pictures, and make a list of all your damaged belongings.

Ways To Reduce the Chance of Water Damage

You can reduce water damage to your home or business by taking certain precautions, such as the ones below. Improve your property by eliminating the chance of water damage.

Clean the Gutters

Your gutters are the main culprits of water damage. Cleaning the gutters and downspouts is something you should often do, even during the winter. You can check for blockages by dumping water down the spout and gutters and seeing where it lands.

Clear out the gutters of debris and standing water. By doing this, you enhance the property and help water flow more easily.

Unplug Your Hoses

This might not be something many businesses or homeowners think about, but if you keep your hose connected, any standing water can freeze into the pipe. When you unscrew it later in the year, you will have a long snake-like chain of ice coming out of the hose. This prevents water from flowing freely and can explode the pipes, damaging the floors, foundation, and walls. Unscrew your hoses to prevent this from happening.

Have the Right Water Mitigation Equipment

Everyone should have water mitigation equipment. No business or home is an exception, as everyone experiences some form of water damage at some point. Taking care of your property is essential to retain its value and keep it looking pristine. Having water remediation equipment helps prevent ongoing damage caused by floods and leaks.

It’s essential for everyone to know what water mitigation is. You can apply your newfound knowledge to your shopping experience with All Hands Fire. We carry an array of items for a variety of applications, from personal use to emergency services.