Nobody expects the worst-case scenario.
Picture this: after a long day at work and a grueling commute both directions in the thick of rush hour, you come home to find your kitchen under an inch of water. The culprit? A sink that was left on in the midst of rushing through your morning routine. Wash dishes, feed the pets, get the kids ready for school, don’t forget to turn off the sink faucet, make breakfast, load clothes into the washer, you really should shut off that faucet, track down your car keys, grab your jacket, and head out the door.
It’s a simple mistake that many people make all too often, but what if you did turn off that sink faucet? Where is this water coming from?!
I give you the second major offender: the dishwasher.
Multiple factors may be at play here but more than likely, the door gasket is failing or the racks were loaded improperly. Both situations would allow water to escape and potentially destroy the unit while flooding your beautiful hardwood floors in the process. Alternatively, the water drainage hose may be broken or clogged by excess debris. Try and clear up this hose and if that doesn’t help or you are still experiencing leakage, the hose may be broken and needs to be replaced. In any case, the damage is done and now it is up to you to correct the issue.
First, track down the source of the water and address any issues that may have caused the overflow to ensure that further damage isn’t caused. This may be as simple as shutting off a circuit breaker or sink faucet (here’s hoping).
Next, address the damage. Not everyone has a shop vac readily available, but that would be your best bet to start sucking up the excess water. If you aren’t so lucky as to have one at your disposal, a mop and bucket (albeit time consuming) will do the trick. In any situation involving standing water, adding ventilation is key. It’s bad enough that your kitchen floor is now suitable for marine life; there’s no reason to risk mold, too. Open windows, bring in fans, and be sure to towel-dry any wet surface that was affected.
Hopefully, these steps mentioned above will be enough to fix the issue. Sometimes professional assistance may be required, especially when warping has occurred. There are many different factors that play into these types of situations, but if minor (or major) damage has occurred, it is probably time to bring in the experts.
While there are a number of steps you can take to prevent floods, it is impossible to prevent them altogether, due to the significant number of possible sources. But it is important to take action as soon as you notice any signs of leaks to prevent the problem from getting worse.
In the event that you do encounter a flood in your kitchen, bathroom, laundry room, or basement, don’t hesitate to give us a call at 951-9000PRO.
ProFlood is comprised of industry professionals who have over twenty-five years of hands-on experience. We know that every case is an emergency, and we will arrive quickly any time, day or night.
While you are never really prepared for the worst-case scenario to happen, ProFlood has your back when it does.
-R.B.
