Seven Steps That Will Minimize the Effects of Water Damage

There are many variables in any water damage situation. The following represent some general rules and steps you should take immediately. For more detailed information, call A&J’s emergency service hotline at 800-727-8990. A qualified technician will answer your call and be able to give you more specific information as to what steps you should take to protect your family and your property.

Time is critical when responding to any water loss in order to prevent mold growth, structural damage and other secondary damage caused by wet materials and high humidity levels in the home. The longer you wait, the worse it gets and the more expensive and time consuming it will be to restore your home to pre-loss condition.

Your insurance policy requires that you take immediate action to prevent further damage from occurring. The easiest way to do that is to call A&J. We’re typically on-site within 2 hours.

1. Find the source of the water and, if possible, stop it.
2. Call A&J for more detailed information and to get a crew on the way.
3. Contact your insurance agent to determine whether or not your insurance covers the loss.
4. If the electricity can be disconnected from a dry location, turn off the power. Never enter standing water to get to the electrical panel! If you must enter standing water to access the panel, call an electrician to turn it off. Do not stand in water when turning off the electricity or when operating any electrical device as there is a severe risk of electrocution!
5. If you smell gas or suspect a leak, turn off the main gas valve, open all windows, and leave the house immediately. Notify the gas company or the police or fire departments or State Fire Marshal's office. Do not turn on the lights or do anything that could cause a spark. Do not return to the house until you are told it is safe to do so.
6. Be aware of slip and fall hazards as well as toxic sewer gasses.
7. If the wet areas are safe to move around in, take the following steps:
   1. Disconnect electrical appliances. Do not touch electrical equipment if you are wet or standing in water!
   2. Remove personal property from the affected areas, being sure to check under beds, in closets, cabinets, etc.
   3. Block furniture with wood blocks, tin foil or plastic wrap to prevent swelling of the wood or transfer of furniture and/or rust stains to carpet and flooring.
   4. Begin emptying bookcases, cabinets, china cabinets and other heavy furniture that is affected by water.

This is hopefully a once in a lifetime event for you, but we deal with water damage every day. We’ll be there shortly to get life back to normal fast!

Expert and Certified Restoration
A&J follows all EPA and OSHA guidelines, as well as the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC), Restoration Industry Association (RIA) and other industry certification protocols to correctly and completely restore all losses.

There is always a certified supervisor or technician on every project and company President Kent Rawhouser is one of only 60 people* worldwide that has been certified as a Water Loss Specialist by the RIA. He is also one of only 25 people* that has earned the designation of CMP (Certified Mold Professional), also by the RIA.

A&J has been restoring flooded buildings since 1984! We have the specialized equipment, training and expertise to restore the most difficult to dry materials. You can count on the highest quality work delivered with the greatest levels of integrity and compassion.

We’ll Work With Your Insurance Company
We understand all the requirements of your insurance company and will thoroughly document every aspect of the loss and all the steps that we have taken to restore your home to pre-loss condition.

We will be happy to communicate with your agent or adjuster and provide them any of the information they need to process your claim.

Contact A&J today to learn more about our water damage restoration services.

*As of October 2008