Whether a freak storm dumped a lot of water in your area that caused a temporary flood or you had a water pipe burst in your basement, dealing with a water damage issue can be a headache.

The immediate danger is rarely the water itself.  Instead, it is how the water that ended up in and under your house is handled after the storm or pipe event is over.  The reason for that is that it only takes about 48 hours for mold to actively start to grow in the affected area.  Once it does, it can create toxic breathing conditions and cost more money to get rid of.

Here are some things that you can do to expediently handle a water damage situation in your home or business:

Keep up the fight:

If you are experiencing local flooding or a large pipe burst, it is a good idea to use sand bags and any other means at hand to ensure that the damage that enters your home is minimal.  In the case of a pipe burst, turning the water to your home off immediately will save you money on the cleanup.

Contact a trusted partner:

There are national contractors like DKI that specialize in flood restoration services.  If you experience large amounts of water in your home, contacting them even before the flooding or pipe event is over will allow them to get to you and start the cleanup before mold starts growing.

Their service levels are so good that in most cases, they will be onsite within a couple of hours to start estimating and preparing to clean up damages.  If your damage is covered by insurance, this can make an important difference in how your claim is viewed by the insurance company.

Dry everything you plan to save:

One reason that water damage contractors are so popular is that they can not only take the water out of your home or business.  They can also dry your home out so that you will not have to worry about the flood damage creating smells or future problems.  They can typically also dry your furniture and belongings, making them usable again without you having to worry about replacing items.

In reality, however, when you do have flood damage and a lot of your furniture is affected, there may be couches or chairs that you would rather give up then have restored.  If you have an insurance claim, sometimes these items are covered and you can get new ones to go alongside the furniture that you would like to have restored.

Water damage is never a fun circumstance.  At the same time, if it occurs, doing your all to minimize the damage while getting in touch with a water damage contractor specialist right away should save you time and money.