Water Damage

Hello!

     My name is Dustin Smallwood and I am the Water Damage Manager at R & R Services in Longview, Texas. I have been with R & R Services and in the water damage restoration industry for 6 years. I have many certifications with the IICRC, Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Certification, and have participated in many other learning events.

      I deal first hand with people that have encountered water damage in their home. Usually when I tell people that I handle water damage restoration they automatically think about flooding as rising water. That is actually a very large misconception because that is generally the smallest portion of our water damage restoration jobs. Every day there are accidents all across the U.S. where people have water disasters in their homes. Some of the common problems that we come across are hot water heater leaks, toilet overflows, washing machine hose blowouts, and general pipe breaks in the home. When this occurs water can quickly fill a large portion of your home if the water is not shut off immediately. When these types of disasters happen in homes we are the company to call to get things cleaned up, dried out, and back to normal.

     So…..what should you do if you have a water damage situation in your home?

1. Try to get the source of the water cut off immediately. There is a simple shut off valve on most all plumbing fixtures. If there is no shut off valve then cut the water off at the water meter. ( Always have a “Meter Key” available in case of an emergency http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=91547-85223-M07-002, there are many types this is simply one to reference too)

2. Contact your Insurance Company Immediately

3. Contact a Water Damage Restoration Company. ( Like R & R Services!) Make sure the company you contact is IICRC certified

4. Vacuum or soak up any excess water that you can to prevent any dry areas in your home from being affected. Remove any small items or furniture that may be in the wet areas and wait for the Water Damage Professional to arrive and take care of the rest.

Also remember if there are ever any electrical outlets covered with water please STAY AWAY until the professionals arrives. We as Water Damage Professionals know how to handle a wide range of situations to prevent anyone from being harmed. If you have any doubt about something at all then wait for the professional to arrive.

If you have any questions about water damage restoration please email me at Smallwood86@aol.com. I look forward to hearing from you and have a great day!

Dustin Smallwood

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