Why Dehumidify Your Home After Water Damage?
If a flood or a leak has caused some water damage in your home, then you have to get rid of the water and fix any damage. This isn't just about clearing water out of your home; you also often need to use a dehumidifier before you can begin your restoration work.
Why is dehumidification so important after a leak or a flood?
Dry Out Difficult Areas
Water from floods or leaks isn't always visible or accessible. While you can clear out standing water on your floors, this doesn't mean that your home will then be dry.
Water can sit in inaccessible areas. It can seep into walls and floors. If your rooms are damp after a leak or flood, then the air will also be humid and full of moisture.
When you use a dehumidifier in your affected rooms, the machine pulls wet air out from these areas. It then replaces the damp air with dry air. As the machine works, hidden and inaccessible areas will dry out completely. You'll get your rooms ready for restoration faster and more effectively.
Avoid Problems With Mold
If parts of your home aren't completely dried out after a flood or leak, then this residual moisture can cause some problems. For example, if you have damp patches on some interior surfaces, such as drywall, then mold can start to grow. It thrives in damp and humid environments.
If mold growth is visible, then you can clean it off. However, if mold grows in hidden spots, then you might not notice it until it spreads. Until then, it will affect the air quality in your home. If you have allergies or respiratory problems such as asthma, then the mold can make you sick.
You shouldn't have any mold growth if you use a dehumidifier after a leak or flood. It will suck all of the damp and humid air out of each room you use it in.
Prevent Structural Damage
If some parts of your home stay damp after a flood or leak, then you could have some future structural problems. For example, if wood floors aren't completely dried out, then moisture will sit in the wood. Eventually, this moisture could rot the timber or make it warp out of shape.
A dehumidifier will pull residual dampness out of floors and walls. You shouldn't have any problems with long-term damage.
Dehumidification is just one part of the flood cleanup water damage restoration process. To find out more about the steps you should take to clean up your home, contact a water damage remediation company such as ServiceMaster Restore.