6 things to do in case of water damage
Water damage? What to do in case of water leak in the house? Here are our 6 tips to limit the damage!
You have just returned home and there, at ground level, a large puddle. You need only a few seconds to realize you just had a water damage. Do not panic, discover in this article 6 tips to help you limit the damage!
Find the source of the water damage and cut off the water supply
Depending on the location of the leak, you will need to turn off the water supply at the water inlet valve connected to the sink or appliance. The easiest and most effective way would be to shut off the main water supply to the house to be sure to stop the leak or potential leaks. It is important to know the location of the main water supply to shut off the water as quickly as possible.
Shut off the electricity supply by taking care not to have your feet in the water
Go to the electrical panel and close the power supply, at minimum, from the flooded room or better still, the whole house.
Remove the infiltrated water to limit the damage
Pack a bucket, mops, containers and bath towels to try to remove as much water as possible to reduce the damage to the building and your belongings.
Raising furniture and electrical appliances
Raise your furniture and appliances with bricks or other items to keep them the least immersed as possible to minimize damage.
Contact your insurer to report water damage
After having secured the premises and having quickly cleaned your house, contact your insurer. You must notify them of the loss and validate with them certain elements of your insurance coverage. They will then inform you of the procedure for the restoration of your house and your property.
Find a Disaster Cleanup Company
Your insurer will be able to recommend a clean-up company or you may be able to find a disaster cleanup business on your own. In both cases, we recommend you make some quick checks to make the right choice:
- Check the legal existence of the company;
- Validate the existence and the validity of the license issued by the RBQ for a company in a post-disaster renovation;
- Confirm the contractor’s registration with corporations and professional associations;
- Verification of court judgments;
- Check references from past clients;
- Check the validity of a registration number for GST and QST.
Find an emergency plumber to plug the leak
You will also need to find a plumber in an emergency to repair the leak. To find a plumber, search on search engines. Check the company on the Directory of Members of the Corporation of Master Pipe Mechanics of Quebec (CMMTQ). You can also use our service which allows you to find a plumber for an emergency in less than 30 minutes.
