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Three Steps For Dealing With Water Damage Inside Of A Closet

Water damage can sometimes happen in closets as they are often next to restrooms or laundry rooms. It is also possible for water damage to occur from an upstairs neighbor if you are in an apartment or a condominium. Hot water heaters are often placed inside closet rooms, which can mean devastation for the closet area in the event of a leak. Regardless of how it happens, there are some actions that you will need to take immediately if you have had flooding inside of a closet. 

Remove and wash all clothing immediately

Once you have removed everything from the closet, the first thing some people try to do is dry out the closet itself. One of the first things that you should actually do is clean the clothing that was inside of the closet. Since you are not sure where the water came from, it is best to wash out your clothing in case the water had any contaminants. Take any items that must be dry cleaned to the cleaners and explain that they were in a closet that had a water leak in case they may require special treatment. 

Have the walls and roof inspected for possible mold or mildew

Once you have dried out the closet, you will need to have a water damage team come out to give you an estimate for repairing the closet damage. Prior to getting any work done, you should have the roof and the walls of the closet inspected for mold or mildew. Mold spreading is a health hazard and, if not taken care of first, could mean that you will need to go back in and take apart the walls to treat any mold in the wall. Be sure that the mold inspection service gives you a clean bill of health before continuing with the water damage repair. 

Go for tile, marble, or other hard floors

If a leak happens once, it is possible a second time. For this reason, you should select materials that can stand up to water without needing to be repaired. If your closet has carpet or softwood flooring, you should change the floors to a hard surface. Tile and marble are good options for your floors, as they will not absorb any of the water nor need to be replaced after being flooded. Changing the floors of your closets will decrease possible damage later on and will make it easier to clean up after a leak repair. 

For more information, contact a water damage repair service near you.


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