How To Identify and Avoid Secondary Water Damage

11/11/2020 (Permalink)

Mold can quickly grow after a water loss.

How Secondary Damage Occurs And How To Handle It

When a basement or a showroom floor floods in Dunwoody, GA, rapid response is key. Most insurance policies cover the original damage, but they may not cover the cost of additional damage after the initial incident. If you do not properly address the source of the water damage, secondary damage like black mold could become an expensive complication. Understanding how secondary water damage occurs can help you prevent it during the initial clean-up effort.

Causes
Humidity is the main driver of damage that happens after the primary water damage. When the air in a water-damaged building becomes saturated, it becomes excessively humid. This high humidity can lead to further damage in the initially exposed areas and to areas that were not originally affected. This is often the result of:

• Failure to promptly repair primary water damage
• Inadequate dehumidification procedures
• Inability to address underlying or unknown sources of remaining moisture, such as burst pipes
  

Signs

Growth of black mold on walls or ceilings, or even baseboards and floors, is evidence that the original damage has not been adequately cleaned or repaired. Buckling hardwood, peeling laminate or vinyl flooring, and sagging or cracking drywall can also result from extremely high humidity, which indicates secondary damage.

Prevention

Keeping secondary damage to a minimum requires a multi-pronged approach, the goal of which is to minimize further exposure to water and humidity:

• Stop leaks from burst pipes and address any other leak sources
• Drain all standing water
• Ventilate the building by keeping windows and doors open as long as possible
• Install dehumidifiers in areas like basements where airflow is problematic
• Remove all items other items, including drapes, furniture and carpeting until the space is completely dry
  

Water damage can happen to anyone. However, secondary damage in the form of black mold or sagging drywall can be avoided. With the right knowledge and help from water damage restoration professionals, your business can fully recover on the first try.