If you're faced with a soggy, water damaged home or vehicle, time is of the essence. You don't have the leisure of "getting around to it on the weekend." The window of time for drying out the home or car and cleaning up the mess left behind is narrow. In fact, mold and rust will begin to appear within 72 hours - sometimes even less. No matter what's been water damaged, the clock is ticking.

The only time when you should wait before starting the drying and cleaning process is when it is unsafe and/or the flood event is still occurring. For example, if the home has been condemned, has a city message saying "do not enter," is still under emergency evacuation orders, has the power turned on, or torrential rains are still pounding, you'll have no other choice but to wait until conditions have changed.

When it is safe and you have the clearance to enter your home, let the cleanup begin. Yes, your home will be a mess! You may still have standing water, in which case, you must get it out ASAP. Once the water has been drained, you'll have a thick layer of muck on all exposed surfaces. This muck isn't simply mud: it's its own unique blend of swept up dirt, debris, fertilizer, weeds, twigs, rocks, trash, and even raw sewage from overwhelmed sewage systems! In addition, to the muck, you'll have saturated furnishings, carpets, carpet pads, floorboards, walls, wallpaper, insulation, cabinets, and drapes. Many of these saturated items will need to be thrown out and replaced while others can safely be cleaned and decontaminated.

Clearly, returning to a water damaged home is overwhelming and you may wonder where to begin. First and foremost, you have to get the water out. Open the doors and windows and start the mop up. If your home is flooded due to a burst pipe or other plumbing problem, you'll need to stop the flow first by turning off the home's water supply.

Because time is crucial, you must work quickly to minimize further damage such as a mold infestation. If your entire neighborhood or community is suffering a similar fate, your friends and neighbors will be busy mopping up their own homes. On the other hand, if your home is the only one affected, you may be able to recruit a team of helpers to help you drag out the waterlogged items, dry out the home, and clean up the mess.

No doubt, this is a huge undertaking made even more difficult thanks to the ticking clock. You don't have to do it on your own. In fact, you probably shouldn't. Instead, hire a professional. Professional water damage restoration companies have heavy duty water extraction and drying equipment as well as professional grade disinfectants, mold inhibitors, and other tools at their disposal to dry out and cleanup your home in the fastest manner possible. In addition, they understand the urgency and are ready to respond ASAP!