It’s awful to open the door to your home, expecting comfort and calm, only to be met with a water disaster. The task at hand seems overwhelming and mentally and physically exhausting. You need a professional water damage restoration company on the scene as quickly as possible.

Water damage is all-encompassing. Cleanup isn’t as easy as it may sound. Water seeks the paths of least resistance and inches its way under and between walls, into electrical wiring, and into nooks and crannies that you’d not think possible. Professional water damage restoration companies efficiently and effectively handle the cleanup and restoration, returning your home or business to normal with no after-effects.

While most top-quality water damage restoration companies have a 24/7 emergency response, there are things you can do to mitigate as much damage as possible before the professionals arrive.

Call a Professional Water Damage Restoration Company. The first and most important thing you can do is contact a professional water damage restoration company. The professionals will quickly assess the damage, then determine and outline a clear strategy for getting your home back to pre-loss condition as soon as possible.

Contact the Power Company. Water and electricity don’t mix. In certain situations, it is too dangerous for anyone to enter the premises if it has not been evaluated and declared safe by the power company first. For example, if you come home to find a power outage on top of a flooded home, do not enter your home until you’ve contacted your power company first.

Reach Out to Your Insurance Company. Most water damage restoration is covered under homeowners or business insurance policies. Reach out to your insurance company to begin your claims process immediately.

Explain that you have contacted water damage restoration professionals and ask if there are specifics unique to your insurance policy you should be aware of ahead of any work being done. Be sure to ask what kind of claims documentation the insurance company prefers.

Document. Document. Document. If it is safe to do so, begin taking photos of the water damage in your home. In a situation like this, there is no such thing as too many pictures. Make lists of damaged items like furniture, soft goods, and any independently insured items like heirloom furniture, art, or even jewelry.

The water damage restoration company will help with this process, too, providing you with a detailed assessment of damage and a proposal for restoration, daily project notes, photos of the restoration process, and any other documentation that may help smooth your claims process.

Remove What You Can. Use common sense when determining what you can remove and what you can’t. Don’t hurt yourself by trying to move heavy furniture that has already been damaged. The professionals can handle those pieces. However, if you see that couch cushions or wooden dining room chairs could be relocated to a dry, warm place to begin drying, go ahead and move those pieces.

In this time of crisis, you want someone with decades of experience, expertise, and professionalism. California Steam Clean, a family-owned and operated water damage restoration company in Santa Rosa, has decades of experience and treats your family like you are one of their own.