What to Do If My Bathroom Floods in Paragon, IN

Discovering ankle-deep water upon entering a building is a nightmare for any property owner. If you’re searching for what to do if a bathroom floods, winter temperatures may be threatening your plumbing’s integrity. 

Complete Comfort’s plumbers in Paragon, IN, know how cold the area can get. We aim to help home and business owners who end up in this situation, so we outlined what you should do below. 

What to Do If My Bathroom Floods: A Quick Guide for Paragon Property Owners

A flooded bathroom is a minefield of potential dangers, especially if you don’t know what to look for. Every property owner in Paragon, Indiana, should remember and adhere to the following protocol. The faster you run through each step, the sooner you can mitigate the damage. 

Turn Off the Electric and Water Supply

First things first: water is the primary concern. Find your water shut-off valve to stop the flow. You might also turn off your power supply to practice electricity safety. Even if the water doesn’t reach any outlets, it may touch plugged devices nearby. 

Inspect for Safety Hazards

Flooded bathrooms have two potential hazards: electrical currents reaching the water and waste contamination. You’ve already handled the first danger but the second one is often more subtle. 

From which fixture did the water initially come from? You don’t have to worry about pathogens if a burst pipe connected to a faucet caused the flood. Supply pipes contain clean, potable water. 

But an overflowing toilet or drain produces wastewater. This water might contain:

• Human waste
• Bacteria or viruses
• Decaying rubbish

Stay away from the area if you discover that the water comes from your drainage. Otherwise, you risk inhaling those pathogens and substances and getting sick. 

Contact an Emergency Plumber

The next part of knowing what to do if the bathroom floods involves having an emergency plumber’s number on hand. Companies like Complete Comfort offer professional plumbing services around the clock in Paragon, Indiana. Call our team as soon as you have cut the water supply and electricity, and our emergency plumbers will arrive quickly. 

Bail Out as Much Water as Possible

Your plumber will resolve the issue that caused the flood in the first place. The next step in this on what to do if your bathroom floods involves removing as much water as you can — provided it didn’t come from a toilet or drain. 

You can bail fresh water out with containers and use a shop vacuum to suck up the rest. You might also use some old towels to absorb water near walls, fixtures, and cabinetry. 

What if the water came from a toilet or drain? Leave that work to professional water damage technicians. They wear personal protection equipment to prevent them from inhaling unseen contaminants. They also use effective solutions to deeply cleanse surfaces and structural materials.  

Circulate the Air

Air circulation is a crucial part of drying out your bathroom. You can do the following to aid the drying process:

• Turn on ceiling fans to keep the air moving. 
• Set up box fans facing toward and away from the bathroom. 
• Rent air purifiers and dehumidifiers if you don’t already have them. 
• Run your HVAC system on the fan setting for additional household circulation. 

A flooded bathroom needs more than surface-level drying. Air circulation prevents mold from gaining a foothold in hidden areas. 

Monitor for Potential Water Damage

Finally, you must remain vigilant and check for signs of mold, warping, and other damage. Sometimes, property owners catch the flood early enough to dry and clean it without issues. However, most people must seek water damage prevention and restoration services. 

Keep an eye out for:

• Dark specks around cabinets and floorboards. Those speckled areas are mold growths overtaking the material. 
• Warped wood. Cabinets with bowed frames have likely soaked up too much water and need replacing. 
• Peeling or bubbling paint. Water can creep beneath the paint, causing it to lift. 
• Discolored floors and walls. When water seeps into building materials, it can stay yellow, brown, or a combination of those colors. 
• Lifted or loose tiles. The grout may crumble and crack, allowing the tiles to loosen. 
• Musty odors. A persistent, stale stench means hidden mold lurks, even if you can’t see it. 
• Softy, mushy drywall. If you can feel damp spots in your bathroom walls, you must repair them to protect their integrity.