How to Clean Up Water Associated With A Leaky Pipe And Assess The Room For Damage
Posted on: 18 December 2017
If one of the pipes leading to your home's restroom has burst due to freezing and then thawing out in a short amount of time, you may have encountered flooding in the bathroom and fear that the floor and other surfaces affected will need to be replaced. Before panicking and believing that your situation is hopeless and is going to cost an exorbitant amount of money to repair, calm down and follow the advice below to clean up the mess and assess the room for damage.
Dry Flooring And Other Items Affected In A Timely Manner
Immediately turn off the water supply to stop water from flowing through the plumbing and leaking onto the floor in the bathroom. Use a sponge mop or thick towels to soak up puddles of water.
If you do not have enough materials on hand to sop up water, stop what you are doing and head to a home improvement or repair center and purchase a large box of all-purpose towels or rags to assist with cleaning up the water. If water has spilled onto other items in the bathroom, including the vanity, wood trim along the floor, or decorative items, use a fresh towel or rag to wipe the surface of each affected item.
Use Space Heaters To Dry Surfaces That Are Saturated
After drying the flooring, it is still important to dry the subfloor if a lot of water was pooled on the flooring and there is a chance that water seeped through the floor's surface. Place a couple of space heaters on a dry surface and aim the heaters toward the flooring that was previously covered with water.
It may take a while for the flooring to dry thoroughly and will be dependent upon how long water was leaking onto the floor and how deeply the water soaked through the floor's surface. Your best bet is to leave the heaters on overnight and to periodically press your fingers against the floor's surface to determine if the flooring is still damp.
Hire A Restoration Specialist And Plumber
After the flooring has dried, you will need to hire a restoration specialist if you notice that the bathroom floor and other surfaces in the room are discolored or if the flooring seems to be spongy and moves slightly when you place your weight upon it. A restoration specialist will replace materials that are damaged and will make sure that the floor and other surfaces affected are safe for use.
Hire a plumber to replace the section of plumbing that is damaged. Insulate the plumbing in your home or leave the faucets on so that water is slightly dripping from them during extremely cold temperatures in which the plumbing is prone to freezing. To learn more, contact a company like Redeeming Restoration.
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