Once it settles into your home, water can result in massive material damage. To prevent such a scenario, hiring your trusted Riverside water damage restoration service to dry out the place is your best course of action. After all, experts have a special way of drying out water damage, and any other maneuver, including trying to remove the excess water on your own is ill-advised.
However, if you still want to try your hand at the procedure, the best we can do is lay out every step of the process for you. As always, we’ve covered all the details you’re looking to find. Keep reading!
How do you dry out water damage?
First, it’s vital that you ensure your safety while drying out water. To do this, turn off the power in each flooded area. Also, don’t forget to protect your face, hands, and mouth to avoid potential risks of exposure to contaminated water. Now you can move on to the real work.
Air out the area
Air circulation is vital in preventing further water damage. To enable it, open your windows and turn on the fans if it is safe to use electricity. In particular, you can opt for some of the following types of fans:
- Pedestal fans: set pedestal fans up to dry higher areas
- Circulator and blower fans: turn these on to direct air lower to floor level
- Window fans: this type is used for circulating fresh air from outside
Then, open cabinet and closet doors and remove drawers in any flooded areas to allow for air circulation. Finally, don’t turn on your central air or heating system with any flooded ductwork since it could blow mold and dirt into the area.
Remove moisture sources
Move all the soaked items outside to dry in the sunlight. Remove larger pieces of furniture first, such as rugs and upholstered furniture, and let them air dry. However, if they have been soaked by contaminated water, it might be a better idea to throw them away due to potential bacteria and other contaminants.
Afterwards, pull up flooring that contains water, such as vinyl or linoleum, to allow sub-floors to dry. Additionally, get rid of soaked insulation from walls and under floors and pull down drywall that’s been submerged. As for restoring water-damaged laminate, getting your local water damage restoration company to reinstall the flooring is your best option.
Clean and prevent mold
Use a bleach solution to treat any areas that were exposed to water. Apply it lightly to a surface and wipe it down to kill all mold spores.
Alternatively, you can go for a commercial mold preventative solution. In this case, use it according to the manufacturer’s instructions to get the maximum results.
All in all, we can’t stress enough the importance of reacting quickly to alleviate the consequences of water damage. Not only will a prompt action prevent further harm, but it will also help you make the most of your water damage claim.
How long does it take to dry out water damage?
Drying out water damage can take anywhere between 12 and 72 hours. There are many factors that come into play, but the main one is the size of the affected area. Naturally, larger areas will take much longer to dry. 
Moreover, areas that were exposed to greater flooding will need more work as well. For instance, a room with two feet of flooding will take much longer than a room with two inches of flooding.
Lastly, the equipment used to dry out water damage will dictate the amount of time taken. This means that, for example, the more fans you use, the faster you’ll get the job done.
Need thorough Riverside water damage restoration? EHS has got you covered!
Next time there’s a water emergency in your home that’s keeping you from sun tanning at the Wedge, have no doubt which plumbing team to hire to save the day. Rely on EHS to provide the most efficient, in-depth water damage restoration service available. We’re prepared to deal with your emergency at any time, whether it’s a burst pipe, an overflow or another urgent condition.
EHS is just a phone call away. Book our seasoned water damage repair experts and they’ll do their best to meet and exceed your expectations!