When it comes to your belongings or business, time is not a luxury you have regarding disaster cleanup. This is especially true when water damage has come into play, which can be through various means such as flooding, appliance and/or plumbing failures, storm damage and fire damage, as water is used to put out the fires.

It only takes a matter of minutes for water to begin spreading throughout your property, where it will saturate everything in its path. Everything from the walls, the floors, upholstery and your belongings become water damage casualties.

The effects of water damage within the first 24 hours include:

• Drywall beginning to swell and break down
• Metal surfaces beginning to tarnish
• Furniture beginning to swell and crack
• Dyes and inks from cloth and paper items spreading and staining
• The beginning of a musty odor

The damage continues to worsen as time goes on. Between 48 hours and a week later, you could begin to see:

• The growth and spreading of mold and mildew
• Swelling and warping of doors, windows and studs
• Metal beginning to rust and corrode
• Paint beginning to blister
• Wood flooring swelling and warping
• The possibilities of serious biohazard contamination

Water damage that is left to stand for more than a week leads to much higher costs and restoration times, and it can impact structural safety.