Thanks to the Do It Yourself guides and YouTube tutorials, more and more people are performing simple household repairs on their own instead of hiring professionals. Homeowners do what the self-help guides tell them and most of the time they can successfully complete the job.
While DIY is a good idea when you need to fix a minor dent on a wall or repair a leaking pipe, attempting to restore your home after water damage is something you should not try on your own. Consequences of performing Do It Yourself water damage restoration can be devastating. We have listed a few of the dangers of performing a water damage restoration job on your own.
Why DIY Water Damage Restoration is a Bad Idea?
1. Health Hazards
Water damage is classified into three types – clean water, grey water, and black water. While clean water is not hazardous to your health, both grey water and black water can lead to serious diseases. Proper safety equipment must be worn before cleaning these types of water damage.
If you attempt to clean grey water or black water on your own, exposure to harmful contaminants in the water may lead to serious health issues.
2. The Struggle of Determining the Extent of the Damage
Determining the extent of the water damage is the trickiest part about restoration. Water can get absorbed into materials like drywall, wood, carpet, and insulation. If it is not completely removed from these items, the damage will get worse and cause mold to grow. When you attempt water damage restoration on your own, you might not be able to determine the extent of the damage because you will likely not have the right equipment in your arsenal to determine the amount of water damage.
Professionals use sensors and advanced equipment to check the materials for moisture. They then dry the materials completely.
3. Damage Could Get Worse
Water must be thoroughly dried in a house by using commercial-grade equipment. Hairdryers and other residential equipment are not going to help dry up the water damage. You might not have access to advanced equipment required to properly remove water from your home. Even if you get professional equipment, you still may not know how to use it properly and thus will not be able to dry the water completely.
If you do not know what you are doing, you could make things worse. For instance, water may start spreading to other areas while you are trying to remove it and this will cause more damage, leading to costly repairs.
In a nutshell, DIY water damage restoration is a bad idea and you should not attempt it. Instead, you should hire professionals to restore your home. If you ever become a victim of water damage, call the experts at STOP Restoration (S.T.O.P.). We offer 24/7 emergency services.
You can reach us at 844-777-STOP (7867) to set up an appointment for an estimate. If you need immediate emergency services in the Bucks, Montgomery, and Philadelphia area counties, we will arrive at your doorstep with all the required equipment to complete the drying and dehumidifying process.
