When the dishwasher floods your kitchen floor or a kitchen ceiling suddenly springs a major leak, water removal must be started immediately. The longer the water stands on your kitchen flooring the more chance of it being permanently ruined. If you don't have the money to replace your kitchen floor, it is important to start proper water removal as soon as you fix the source of the flood.
Dishwasher water can be as dirty and contaminated as flood and sewage waters so make certain to cover your hands during water removal and do not expose any open wounds to the water. If the flood is from a refrigerator ice-maker or outside flood waters you should take the same precautions for wounds and overall health.
The first step in water removal from a flooded kitchen is to mop up the excess water. This needs to be done immediately, but make sure you have completely stopped the source of incoming water first. The best way to get the water up is with a mop, but you can also use towels and other cloth materials to soak some of it up as well.
Once water removal has been completed to get the standing water up, you are still facing a serious problem with wet floors. If they do not dry out properly, you could be faced with an even bigger problem such as mold growth. Mold can lead to health risks ranging from breathing problems and allergies up to death.
If you are attempting water removal from hardwood floors you will need to call for professional help as soon as possible. There is technology now that can suck the water from underneath the wood, and this is the only hope you have of saving your hardwood floor from water damage. It must be done before the woods starts to buckle in the drying process, so do not waste time calling for help.
For non-wood flooring you need to keep the air flow throughout the kitchen by using fans or an air conditioning system if it is warm outside or a heating unit if it is cold out. If you think the air is humid in your kitchen, set up a dehumidifier or two to avoid mold growing as the floors dry.
Water removal is not complete until you completely sanitize the area by washing it thoroughly with a chlorine based cleaner. Remember not to mix ammonia and chlorine since it can create fumes that are very harmful to humans. Water from kitchen sources such as a dishwasher or refrigerator are not clean waters, so make sure to clean very well after things have dried out.
If you have a very large kitchen water removal may be a little more difficult than a smaller kitchen. You will have to work faster to get the water up from all flooring surfaces as soon as possible. If you can get some help from neighbors, friends, or family members you should make those calls right away.
Ramona Weisly writes articles and shares information on fire and water for
Dallas Water Removal Service and
Bethesda Water Removal Service
