When there is water damage in your home for one reason or another, you are going to need to do some demolition work. Therefore, you want to know what materials to remove, what needs to be saved, and where to clean. The following demolition guide will help you do the work that needs to be done to prepare your home for water damage restoration and repairs:

• Remove Absorbent Materials First—As you begin to remove the water from your home, you are going to be ready to start with the demolition work. You want to remove the most absorbent materials first, which include:
  • Carpets and absorbent flooring materials
  • Low baseboard trim materials
  • Cabinetry and woodwork that sits on the floor

These are the materials that are usually the most affected by water damage and will need to be removed first. Removing these materials quickly will help prevent problems with mold and other contamination issues that are common with water damage.

• Removing the Trim and Woodwork—The trim and woodwork needs to be removed from your home when there is a problem with water damage. This is often at the baseboards where there is standing water but could be in other areas. Moldings around doors and other trim that is swollen due to absorbing the water and moisture will need to be removed. Remove this woodwork to prepare for the repairs to be done to your home.

• Scribing and Removing Damaged Drywall—While you may have removed some of the most damaged drywall quickly, there is more drywall demolition that needs to be done. First, you want to use a utility knife to scribe a line and cut the drywall above the damaged area. Cut through the drywall with the knife before removing it. This will leave a clean, straight line for the new drywall materials to be installed when the repairs are done.

• Removing Other Damaged Building Materials and Cleaning—After removing the drywall and most of the damaged materials, there may be more demolition. Materials like particle-board used for cabinetry and built-in features will need to be removed. Remove any materials that have been severely damaged by the water. Lastly, begin cleaning to prepare for repairs and restorations that need to be done to your home.

Doing this demolition correctly will help you get ready to complete restorations to your home. If you have a problem with water damage and are ready for restorations to be done, contact a water damage restoration and repair service.