When Water Damage Displaces A Family

4/5/2022 (Permalink)

One of the things we at SERVPRO have seen repeatedly is a water loss displacing a family. This can be due to several factors, but it is always extremely difficult on the family to be displaced from their home while dealing with a traumatic water loss.
One of the main reasons homeowners have to find temporary housing outside of their homes is due to no bathroom being usable in the current house due to a water loss. When a water loss happens in a 1 bathroom home and the flooring and the toilet need to be removed, it is cause for displacement of the homeowners due to the lack of usable facilities at the home.
Another reason that homeowners are displaced is when a kitchen water loss happens, sometimes the cabinets, stove, fridge, and flooring need to be removed in order to effectively dry the area. A house with no usable kitchen is a common cause of customers finding temporary housing outside of their home.
Unsafe living environments. Unsafe living environments can mean a few different things, the first and most common is mold infestation. Homeowners are sometimes temporarily displaced due to mold that needs to be remediated that has been uncovered/discovered during a water loss. Sometimes the extent of the mold infestation warrants the homeowners to relocate until the mold can be safely and effectively remediated.
Inconvenience. Sometimes homeowners relocate due to the large inconvenience that comes with a water loss. Sometimes flooring, ceiling, walls, and personal belongings are affected due to a water loss. Homeowners may not want to deal with the noises of dehumidifiers, air movers, and the noise that comes with the demo and reconstruction needed at times during a water job, and therefor opt to relocate until the water loss and reconstruction has been finished.
Odor in the home from the water loss. Sometimes water losses can cause odors to emit from the materials that they affect. Sometimes water losses are also from drain lines or sewer lines that cause a strong odor to be present until they are cleaned and dried. Homeowners are often displaced temporarily due to odors.
So the reasons vary for homeowners to vacate during a water loss, but it is much more frequent than you would expect. Depending on the location and the extent of a water damage, homeowners can be displaced for days or months at a time.