Water Damage Cleanup After Water And Electricity Mix
Water and electricity are used every day mutually: dishwashers, clothing irons, humidifiers that we so desperately need here in springtime Las Vegas. However, water and electricity are also often enemies. Allow one or the other to travel where it shouldn’t, and serious threats to your safety can occur.
It may seem counter-intuitive, but yes, water can actually help cause a fire in your house. This is often caused by water soaking into outlets, conduits, or wires while electricity is still coursing through the circuit. Therefore, avoid any electrical equipment if the floor is wet, even damp. If you see the ground is damp, you may not know how much water was spilled or pooled in the first place. Just because the ground is drying, doesn’t mean water hasn’t seeped into equipment or appliances nearby. Be especially cognizant to not plug in any electrical item, regardless of how big or small, if you can still see the water level is above any electrical circuit. Contact your local Las Vegas water cleanup company and explain the water levels in your home and they will be able to advise you on proper steps to take.
Flooded Basements And Stagnant Water
Stagnant water can be electrically charged, even if you can’t see the source of the charge. A flooded basement still poses an electrocution hazard if someone is running a generator nearby and “back-feeding” electricity into a storm-damaged grid. Stagnant water can also be charged from underground, if there is a source nearby that indirectly makes contact with where you are standing. As a good rule of thumb, assume any standing water due to water damage is unsafe to step on or in. Don’t try to dispose of the stagnant water yourself, and instead call a professional water cleanup company to safely mitigate the danger
Flash Flooding
Flash flooding is one of the greatest weather-related threats we face here in Las Vegas. It is also one of the most dangerous forms of floods, as it can happen so quickly, and can continue to cause damage for hours. One of the effects of flash floods is tearing down electric power lines, which are dangerous in and of themselves. However, when falling onto wet or damp ground, perhaps in your backyard or front lawn, it becomes a much bigger hazard. Even if it seems the lines have been broken and there is no electricity running through them, always assume downed power lines are “live”. “Live” is a term meaning the power lines still have potentially dangerous levels of electricity running through them. Being within even 35 feet of a live downed power line can cause you to be electrocuted. Be sure to stay as far away as possible from any downed power line as possible, as well as anything that is a good conductor, as these could cause electrocution as well. This is known as “step potential”, where stepping near any conductor of electricity changes your voltage, and therefore increases your electrocution potential.
Water Damage Cleanup In Las Vegas
ERX Emergency Restoration Experts in Las Vegas, Nevada is a water damage cleanup and restoration company of qualified professionals, who work with you to ensure your house is safe once again after disaster strikes. By implementing some of the most advanced technology the water damage cleanup industry utilizes to “remove water and to dry floors, walls and ceilings”, your water damage cleanup experience will be wonderfully efficient and fast. The experts at ERX also offer team members who are available to answer any emergency call, 24/7. Because severe water damage doesn’t wait, neither does ERX Emergency Restoration Experts.
