What To Expect After A Water Damage in Greenville, NC

2/7/2020 (Permalink)

Flooding is just one of the many ways water damage can occur.

Understanding how quickly water damage can turn from a problem to a nightmare is imperative to responding appropriately.

The first hour of a water damage can quickly saturate walls, furniture, personal items and anything else that might be in its path. The finish from your furniture can bleed onto carpets, likely permanently damaging them. Even if furniture isn’t nearby, many carpets can bleed their own dye out, running the risk of staining other parts of the material or other objects on or near them. Any paper-based belonging such as photos and books will wick up the moisture, swell and warp.

Within the first 24 hours, serious degradation to items such as metals can occur, leading to rust and tarnish. Drywall tends to absorb water and swell, causing it to breakdown. Wood swells and cracks and musty odors begin to form.  

Within the first week, even more robust metals and woods begin to corrode and deteriorate. Doors, windows and structural components such as joists and studs begin to swell. Paint begins to bubble and blister on walls and serious warping can form on hardwood flooring. Mold and mildew begin to show visible signs, especially on upholstered goods. Health risks and major bio-hazard contamination is possible.

After a week of untreated water damage, remediation efforts become significantly more expensive and time consuming. Most everything at this point is contaminated and likely needs replaced. Serious structural rebuilding and mold remediation are probable for safety.