A flooded kitchen is a disaster. Even if no one gets hurt, it can cause a considerable amount of damage and lead to expensive repairs. Then, if the damage is not dealt with promptly, mold could grow, causing even more damage and potentially requiring expensive mold remediation.
Locate the Leak
The first thing you should do is find where the leak is coming from and shut off the water. The leak could be coming from a number of possible places, such as the faucet, water purifier, dishwasher pipe, or air conditioning hose, among others. You’ll just need to search. Then, if you can’t find the leak, you may need to use the master water shut-off valve to turn off the water. If this doesn’t work, you’ll need to call a plumber.
Turn Off the Power and Gas
As soon as you have shut the water off, you need to turn off the power. With all the flood water in a kitchen full of appliances, there is a risk of electrocution. A restoration professional will tell you when it’s safe to turn on the power.
You should also turn off the gas supply because if you have water on the floor, it might hurt the stove. If you smell gas, exit your home and then call the fire department. The fire department will let you know when it is safe to re-enter your home.
Drying Your Kitchen
There are a number of steps you should take when drying your kitchen.
Remove Your Goods
Now that you’ve shut off the electricity and gas, it’s time to dry the kitchen. Remove your appliances, furniture, groceries, carpeting, and other items. Be sure to throw away any food that has come into contact with the flood water unless it is in a sealed can or sealed commercial glass jar. Any wooden furniture you had in the kitchen could be damaged by the water, so it is a good idea to dry it off quickly. Make sure to dry off all of your items and put them in a well-ventilated area while they are drying.
Dry the Floor
Once you have dealt with your items, it’s time to dry your kitchen floor. First, use towels or old sheets or blankets to soak up the water on the floor. Then mop up any remaining water. Make sure you have carefully dried your appliances before plugging them back in. Also, if your wall sockets are wet, you might want to dry the cover while the power is off and give them time to dry out before turning the power back on to avoid the risk of a fire.
Finishing the Drying Process
If the flooding was minor, you could probably finish drying your kitchen by opening up your cupboards and drying your floor again, along with running a high-powered fan and dehumidifier. It would be best to have fans running in different parts of the room to dry the room more quickly and help prevent mold.
If the flooding is more severe, you should contact a water damage restoration company for help. They can help to restore your kitchen and prevent mold from developing.
Contact Us
Water restoration is an important job, and for a provider you know you can trust, choose ABH Services Inc. Call now at (781) 941-2422 or connect with us on Facebook.