Saving Personal Items from Water Damage

Saving personal items from water damage is one of the most important topics Water Mold Fire Restoration discusses with our clients. Unfortunately there is no clear-cut one answer fits all to this question. Every water damage situation is unique and what can be saved is really decided on a case-by-case basis. However, we'd like to offer some guidelines so our homeowners can the make the best decision possible.

Category of Water

Determining whether the water that damaged your personal belongings is clean or contaminated will be the major factor in whether or not items can be salvaged. Obviously, if you are dealing with clean, category 1 water, the chances of you being able to save personal itemsarebetter.  Even though it may be possible restore something that is damaged by contaminated category 2 or 3 water, it is more than likely not worth the health risk it could present.

Porous vs. Non Porous Materials

Porous materials like fabrics, wood, and paper are very good at absorbing and retaining water. This also means it increases the chance of other dangers like mold growth, and damage beyond repair. This is not always the case and if handled quickly and properly, many times these items can be saved. On the other hand, porous materials like marble, metal, and porcelainare usually easy to be restored. Since nothing can penetrate these types of items, a simple cleaning is really no problem.

Time Factor

Another critical factor that will enter the equation of determining what can and cannot be saved is how long the materials have been wet. The longer any item remainswet, the more damage can be done. This makes it increasingly more difficult to restore it to itsoriginalcondition. A perfect example of this is wooden furniture. It takes longer for wooden furniture to absorb water and become completely water logged. The faster you are able to remove your furniture out of the water, the better your chances of being able to save it. As wood absorbs water it swells and eventually cracks. This is one of the areas that wooden furniture can get damaged.

Replacement Cost vs. Restoration Cost

Water damage restoration of personal belongings is no different than any other type of repair. You will always want to evaluate how much it is going to cost to repair something versus simply replacing it. Is the item you want to save really worth paying a professional to do work on it? Sometimes it is, sometimes it's not. And that said, not every item can be 100% restored and you may not be satisfied with the results. That's why you need a good insurance policy, to replace any of your personal items that have been damaged beyond repair or cannot be restored to a condition that satisfies you.

If you are unsure whether or not one of your personal items can be salvaged, our best advice to you is to have it inspected by a restoration professional. Water Mold Fire Restoration, 800-905-0277 can assist you in determining the damage done to your personal belongings. Call us or email us at help@watermoldfire.net as soon as possible after discovering water damage in your home.