Should You Worry About Secondary Damages?

12/7/2021 (Permalink)

When you find water in your home, be sure to call the trained experts at SERVPRO of Norman for mitigation services.

Is It Necessary To Be Concerned About Secondary Damages?

Any time flooding or leaking water affects your home, there's a potential for secondary damages, such as black mold. These damages are those that don't show up immediately but crop up weeks or even months after you think the matter has been resolved. Unfortunately, this also means that you may discover lasting damages after insurance adjusters have already worked through and resolved your claim. These damages may come in several forms.

• Mold
• Electrical trouble
• Corrosion
• Wood rot
• Structural weakening

High Risk Areas

Fortunately, you can avoid lasting damages by recognizing what causes the secondary problems and the most likely areas of risk. Remember that black mold and other related damages happen when moisture is hidden under, behind, or even between two surfaces.

• Wooden floors, subflooring, floating fabrics
• Pressed wood under any flooring
• Spaces inside the walls
• Within crawlspaces and humid attics

After you've dried up spills, leaks, or flooding, there may be hidden areas of damage. Even if you suspect potential damages in areas of high humidity, it can be hard to address the trouble if you can't reach those areas. When this happens, the best route is to call a water restoration professional. In fact, many homeowners contact these professionals as soon as they've dealt with the immediate situation.

Contact Professionals for Help

Why contact a professional? These experts have the tools and training to know where to look and how to access hidden areas. They may have equipment and cleansers for dealing with issues hidden within the walls. For example, the leaking dishwasher may have caused corrosion along the wiring behind the cabinets or caused damage to the foundation of your home in the basement. Eason, OK, professionals know what to look for and how to resolve the most common problems.

Long after you've resolved the primary damages resulting from a water disaster at your home, the lasting effects of black mold or humidity could cause a cascade of new damages. When you understand the potential for harm, where to look, and how to respond, you can reduce the potential for further trouble.