It's no secret that water and electricity don't mix, but what does that mean for a building's electrical wiring when it suffers water damage? While it's true that most wires in a home have some moisture protection, severe water damage can break through and create several hazards throughout a building.
Top to Bottom Restoration, the leading experts in water damage restoration in Brandywine, Maryland, can mitigate flood damage before it destroys a building's wiring. However, homeowners need to know how to handle water-clogged wiring to avoid its risks before their restoration team arrives.
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Unexposed vs. Exposed Wiring
Some wires have a plastic coating shielding them from wear and tear and water damage. These are unexposed wires, and as long as the coating is intact and the flood hasn't reached the wire's active socket, affected homeowners aren't in any immediate danger. If they unplug the device, the wiring will dry on its own and be ready to use after the flood.
Exposed wires, ones without the protective layer, are a different story. If a flood touches exposed wiring, the water will absorb into it, break the electronic device, and create a litany of other issues. Homeowners should avoid touching these wires and call for help immediately.
What Water Damage Does To Electrical Wiring
Wiring with water damage can corrode and grow mold, leading to sickness with enough exposure. That corrosion can also lead to wire rusting. However, fires are the most significant risk of water reaching electrical wiring.
When enough water interferes with an active wire, the current speeds to an unsustainable rate. If the electronic device has a fuse, this will cause a short circuit that disconnects the electricity. However, the overworked current could create a fire if there isn't a fuse.
Water-damaged wiring also poses the risk of electric shock, especially after severe floods where the soaked wiring rests in standing water.
How Homeowners Should Handle Electricity After a Flood
The first thing homeowners should do after a flood is power off their home's electricity. Even if they believe the water damage didn't reach their wiring or only affected unexposed wires, floods can spread to new areas quickly. Cutting the electricity is the best way to minimize the risk of fire or electrocution.
Next, flood victims should call professionals to replace the affected exposed wiring rather than attempting to dry and reuse it. Water can hide in the internal parts of exposed wires, and even a tiny amount can cause a short circuit or fire. Homeowners can wait for their unexposed wires to dry and use a portable appliance tester to ensure the devices still work.
Those measures will protect flood victims from the risks of water-damaged wiring. Still, they will need to call a professional restoration team to prevent water damage from affecting other parts of their property.
Water Damage Services From Top to Bottom Restoration
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Top to Bottom Restoration is Maryland's leading water damage restoration team. They have over 35 years of experience with 24/7 emergency repairs that stop floods in their tracks and reverse the damage they cause. Their team also accepts all insurance claims and arrives at the flood site within 30 minutes of receiving a call.
Call Top to Bottom Restoration today at (866) 746-5826 to schedule an appointment.
