Everything You Need to Know About Secondary Damage

It's important to act quickly if your home in Laguna Hills, CA has been affected by water damage. Failing to properly remediate water damage in a timely manner can result in various different kinds of subsequent issues, such as black mold, warped flooring and other types of structural problems.

‍
What is Secondary Damage?

‍
It's not uncommon for small floods or leaks to go unnoticed for long periods of time, and subsequent damage can occur days, weeks or even months following the initial incident. Some common examples of the damage that can follow include:

-Black mold growth
-Cracking plaster and sheetrock
-Warped walls, floors and ceilings
-Water stains

Standing water eventually evaporates on its own if the damage isn't properly addressed in a timely manner. Eventually, the air becomes saturated with moisture from the standing water, resulting in dangerously high humidity levels. Once the air becomes oversaturated, the moisture is driven into the drywall, ceiling tiles, furniture and other places in your home.

‍
How Can You Prevent Secondary Damage?

‍
The key to preventing subsequent moisture damage is catching and reacting to the initial flood as quickly as possible. The following strategies can also help you reduce your chances of experiencing moisture damage:

-Mop up any standing puddles.
-Ventilate wet areas by opening windows, using floor fans or the AC unit.
-Open furniture drawers to allow them to air out.
-Move electronic devices and sentimental possessions to dry, elevated areas.
- Hang blankets, furniture skirts and curtains up to dry.
- Elevate furniture on aluminum foil to prevent stains.

Because water damage can go unnoticed for long periods of time, it's important that you also perform regular home inspections to check for signs of leaks or flooding.
Reacting to accidents in a timely manner is the best way to prevent secondary damage, such as black mold, cracked plaster, warped flooring and much more. If your residential property has recently experienced any type of water damage, it's vital that you contact flood remediation experts as soon as you can.