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water damaged properties, all still mould free!
Water damage can be a distressing experience for property owners in Melbourne. If you’re considering tackling the flood restoration process yourself, we’ve compiled essential tips to guide you through the DIY flood and water damage restoration process. For additional information or advice, our friendly team is available to offer emergency advice 24/7. Feel free to call for guidance. If you find the restoration process overwhelming, we are here to provide assistance and ensure your property gets dry fast. Remember, a quick and effective response is key to minimising the impact of water damage on your property.
Call our flood damage restoration Melbourne team as soon as possible!
Discover our comprehensive flood restoration services in Melbourne designed to address the aftermath of water-related incidents. Our specialised team is committed to providing water damage solutions tailored to meet the unique needs of property owners dealing with the challenges of flood damage. Our services surround a wide range of water damage restoration, including specialised tasks such as water extraction, flood damage carpet cleaning, and emergency carpet drying. Trust our flood damage restoration Melbourne team to respond, repair, and restore your property quickly and professionally.
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If your home has flooded in Melbourne, Australia, you’re certainly not alone. Unfortunately, Melbourne is prone to heavy rainfall and flash floods, which can cause severe and expensive damage to homes. We also have pipes that burst, bathes that overflow, and washing machines that leak! Squeaky Clean Team is equipped to handle such emergencies and offers fast and efficient emergency flood damage carpet cleaning and structural drying services. Whether your home or workplace has been damaged due to heavy rainfall, a burst pipe, or a flash flood, we’re here to help you with water or flood restoration services in Melbourne.
With our skilled technicians and advanced equipment, we can rapidly restore your home to its pre-flood condition in no time. Trust the Squeaky Clean Team to provide top-notch flood restoration services and help you overcome the stress and discomfort of flood damage.
The very first thing you should do for flood restoration is stop the leak. If you’re unable to resolve the cause of flooding yourself, we recommend turning mains water off and calling a plumber. Once the flooding has stopped, you should remove all electronic items from the affected area. Water and electricity don’t mix, so this should be done as soon as you can. Once the area is safe, you can get started with restoration. Read the top 3 reasons for home water damage and what you can do about it.
Below, we detail a simple 5-step plan you can follow to effectively dry wet carpet in the minimum amount of time. And remember, if you start feeling daunted at any stage, free advice is on hand – simply call us on 1300 682 563 between the hours of 9 am to 6 pm. For all your flood damage restoration services in Melbourne call 24/7.
If you’re facing flood damage wet carpet, and want restoration you have need to worry about water wicking up the walls and skirting boards and into your cabinetry. Take a good look around to see where the water has reached so you can determine the affected areas and any damage that has occurred. Make sure you look along all surfaces. Water will be hidden under the carpets, so it’s worthwhile lifting up the carpet. The underlay and subfloor will be wet too. In order to lift up your carpets, you must first remove all furniture from the affected area. It’s vital that anything metal or wood is also removed, as metal will rust and tannin from wood will run, both of which will stain your carpet. Unfortunately, anything made from chipboard that’s been exposed to water will need to be replaced due to the swelling that occurs.
Bear in mind, the following may need drying:
The next step for flood restoration is getting the tools and equipment required for drying. When you have a flood, you need to extract the water and dry it using two types of machines – air movers and dehumidifiers. Air movers provide air circulation, while dehumidifiers extract water from the circulated air.
You will also need a wet vac or carpet cleaning machine to extract water from the carpet. Do not think that carpet steam cleaning will fix the problem – it will only result in the carpet becoming even wetter. Instead, use a carpet cleaning machine or wet vac to extract the water only. If you don’t have access to a professional carpet cleaning machine, The Squeaky Clean Team can help extract the water for you.
You’ll also need to get a hold of air movers, which are fans specifically designed for drying carpets and floors. Dehumidifiers will also be necessary to extract the water from the environment. As a general rule, a flooded bedroom will need one dehumidifier and one air mover, while a lounge room will require two air movers and possibly two dehumidifiers. The air mover and dehumidifier can only work in one direction, so if water has gone around a corner, you’ll need more equipment.
Finally, you may need a pair of pliers for pulling up carpet so you can see how far the water’s gone – it’s usually further than you think!
To extract flood water restoration, simply run the head of a carpet cleaning machine against the carpet. You’ll need to push down on the extraction head so you extract as much water as you physically can. This will remove a lot of water, but not all of it. You’ll still need drying equipment or else mould will soon become an even bigger and more costly problem to fix.
Please remember that just cleaning the carpet will make the problem worse, as you end up putting more water into the carpet rather than removing it. Don’t do this! You can hire a carpet cleaner to just do water extraction, but you’ll still need to use the drying equipment.
Placement Of Equipment
There are two options available to you for drying:
The most expensive component of drying is the equipment. If you top dry, it’s going to take about a week. If you use the floating method, it’s going to take about two days. It’s a much faster method and will ultimately save you money.
The next step is to monitor the drying process for flood restoration to ensure progress is being made. A moisture meter can be used for this, but if you don’t have one, you can also manually inspect the carpet. With carpet, three layers have to be dried: the carpet itself, the underlay, and the subfloor. The carpet is normally handmade or wool materials and will be kept in place with a smooth edge, which is a piece of wood with lots of nails in it. When gently lifting the carpet using a pair of pliers, you’ll see underlay and the subfloor, which could be concrete, wooden floorboard, or yellow tongue.
The most common type of underlay is foam underlay, which is like a sponge. The foam has a layer of plastic holding it in place which can ‘trap’ water, making drying more difficult. For a day, try floating the carpet, then on the second day, place the air mover under the underlay (foam only) to dry the subfloor. All three layers must be dry. Concrete can be dried out within two days, while wooden floorboards or yellow tongues may take up to three days. Once all layers are dry, the pulled-up carpet can be reinstalled.
After the carpet, underlay and subfloor are dry, only then is it time to worry about cleaning the carpet. When a carpet gets wet, it gets full of bacteria and can also brown due to the back of the carpet bleeding through. To prevent this from happening, you can spray an antibacterial product like white vinegar over the top of the carpet from a pump-up spray bottle. This will prevent discoloration while also killing any bacteria.
Something else to keep in mind is that when a carpet gets wet, it’s likely going to stink. This can be for two reasons: firstly, it could be wool carpet, which will always smell when it gets wet. Secondly, the carpet could be full of bacteria, which is an indication that it’s been wet for quite a period of time.
Once the carpet is completely dry, you can arrange steam cleaning for a thorough cleaning. If your flooding involves sewage, special steps must be taken to ensure a sanitary result. Call us for free advice on flood restoration or to take advantage of our sanitization services in Melbourne.
Yes, the carpet will dry provided you have enough equipment and follow the five steps detailed above.
Raw sewage or black water is a health hazard and needs specialist removal – call us for advice on this.
When floorboards get wet, they tend to cup, which is an indication that water is underneath. It’s best to turn to a professional for this, as the equipment to dry these is only available to specialist restorers like The Squeaky Clean Team.
If you can’t find what you need from your local hire shop, The Squeaky Clean Team provides a range of equipment types available for hire, including air movers and dehumidifiers.
We hope that our DIY water damage restoration tips will assist you in tackling flood restoration on your own. Don’t forget, if anything is still unclear, you can call us on 1300 682 563 for free advice. We also offer equipment hire, with over 200 air movers and 50 dehumidifiers available for hire. Our air movers start from just $75 per day, while our dehumidifiers are available from $150 per day. Call us now to get free advice or request a quote. You can also check out our reviews on how we’ve shown people how to fix water damage.
