Attempting a DIY Water Damage Restoration? Avoid These Common Pitfalls

Let’s talk about water damage do-it-yourself projects. If you’re the Type A, go-getter sort of person, you might love watching instructional YouTube videos to save yourself some time and money. We get it. DIY videos can be credited for saving plenty of dishwashers, washing machines, and random fixtures around the house. While DIY content might prove to be effective with appliances you can see, touch, and maneuver, they aren’t as effective as the subtle water damage. If a water damage restoration project sounds like something you’d like to stay far away from, you can exit out of this article right now, pick up the phone, and call the water damage restoration experts in our Prairieville office. We got you. However, if you’d like to stay true to your adventurous personality, venture on.

Water Damage Restoration In Prairieville

Mistake #1: Underestimating A Dangerous Situation

Water damage to interiors happens fairly often. Sometimes a leftover juice spill seeps into floorboards, leading to sticky, soggy wood paneling and buckled floorboards. Sometimes water damage looks like cracked drywall or discolored paint. However, it’s important not to take water damage at face value. Sure, there comes a point of water damage where the damage is so extensive, that eventually, it’s just a lot. However, many homeowners miscalculate how much damage has actually been done, thinking that the symptom of water damage (maybe buckled flooring or brown-looking walls), isn’t actually the bulk of the issue.

Mistake #2: Using The Wrong Techniques

While we applaud ingenuity and resourcefulness, we also discourage ignorant treatments. Sure, pulling out the hair dryer could work temporarily, but it likely won’t even scratch the surface of fixing the extent of the problem. As an alternative scenario, let’s say that a pipe burst in your home, and water is everywhere. Many people will rally every available hand towel, bath towel, and dish towel to the cleanup entourage, but will often leave the cleanup at that. Fast forward a few weeks later, and your kids are complaining of a mysterious smell that won’t go away. Although initial drying efforts can help with the overall results of a water damage restoration project, it’s rarely enough. Experts should be enlisted to dry the area effectively, diagnose any more underlying problems, and replace fixtures and structures that have been compromised in the process.

Mistake #3: Ignoring The Details

The details that go into a successful restoration project are endless. For example, after scrubbing the drywall, sucking every drop of water out of the floor, and dumping large quantities of bleach on everything you can see, you may plug in your tv and be surprised to see flying sparks. (Yeah, not good.) Other detail-level issues involve warped flooring, a musty smell after several days, or muted paint spots. Professionals are trained in everything surrounding water damage—including the tiny details that are easy to pass over.

Although do-it-yourself water damage restoration projects can be more cost-effective in the short term, mistakes can bring costly repercussions for months to come. Water damage specialists are the pro DIY-ers. They’ve done it enough that they struggle doing it wrong. That’s the kind of security we’re more comfortable with. Call the water damage restoration experts at Crossroads Property Rescue in Prairieville for more details.