preparing for and cleaning up after a flood

Posted on: 22 October 2020

Even small water drips and leaks can cause water damage to your home if they go on long enough. For example, a dripping pipe or drain under your kitchen sink keeps the cabinet and floor wet and damp. This might go on for a long time if you rarely look under the sink.

Over time, the cabinet can warp or rot, and mold might even grow. Since you probably spend a lot of time in your kitchen, you don't want mold growing under your sink. A water damage restoration company can dry out the dampness and restore the cabinet so your kitchen is dry again. Here's what the process involves.

Make Plumbing Repairs

You'll need to stop the leak or the water damage will return. Have the pipe or drain repaired first if possible, but if there's mold growing under the sink, you may need to have the water damage taken care of first so it's safe to work in the enclosed area.

Remove The Cabinet Bottom And Flooring

Any material that has water damage should be removed. The restoration company may even remove materials with mold on them rather than removing the mold itself. The restoration professional will develop a plan for restoring your kitchen with the least disruption and in the safest way so mold spores don't spread through your home.

Dry Out The Kitchen

Once the damaged materials are gone, the space under the cabinet and the rest of the kitchen that's affected is dried out. This might involve bringing in industrial fans or dehumidifiers to pull moisture out of the air and out of the flooring and walls.

The restoration professional will check around your kitchen to see if water from the leak rolled behind a wall or under other cabinets. The goal is to remove all traces of water and dampness so the threat of rotting and mold growth is eliminated.

Restore The Floor And Cabinet

The final step in the water damage restoration process is to return your kitchen to its normal state. It might be necessary to put in a new cabinet, but a new bottom may be all that's needed. First, the restoration crew has to install new flooring to replace the flooring and subfloor that were removed due to water damage.

Restorations might take a few days. It depends on how fast the dampness and water dry out. Once the cabinet and floor have been restored and the leak has been repaired, the problems associated with a damp sink cabinet will be gone.

You may have noticed a musty odor in your kitchen, or you may have had more problems with pests like roaches due to the leak. A dry sink cabinet eliminates these problems and makes your kitchen a cleaner and safer place for your family.

To learn more, contact a water damage restoration team.