Would you know what to do if your home got drenched? When an overflowing river floods a home or when fire triggers sprinklers and water streams in from fire trucks, the aftermath can be nearly as serious as the crisis. Muddy or sooty water can destroy possessions and endanger health if not properly and quickly addressed.

The first step in protecting yourself is to call your home insurance agent. Document the damage by taking plenty of pictures using a disposable camera if need be. Discuss with your agent whether any of your antique or valuable belongings need professional treatment. Your insurance policy may cover the cost of hiring a restoration company that specializes in drying out homes and possessions.

If you are not sure what your policy covers take a few moments to review it and explore your options before calamity strikes. Remember that coverage can change according to the source of the water damage. Insurance Canada.ca Inc, an Internet-based independent information source, points out that what is excluded can be just as important as what is included. "At the low end of the scale, water damage caused by water overflow from the plumbing system, water from burst pipes, and also frozen pipes could be covered, but not damage caused by continuous seepage, sewer backup, etc. … It's important that you understand precisely what your policy covers."

Read the policy carefully and ask your agent specific questions about what is covered such as: Does the policy cover the cost of replacing damaged ceilings, dry wall, carpets and wood flooring? How much coverage do I have for my possessions? What type of documentation is required to prove ownership?

In the event of water damage, the following tips can help you recover treasured irreplaceable items as well as those not completely covered by insurance.

Priorities

When people survey the damage to their homes, their first instinct is often to salvage everything. Unfortunately, time is of the essence for many items; prioritizing is essential. Rather than starting with severely damaged items, start with those that have the greatest likelihood of being saved and are most important e.g. family photographs, collections, antiques, important documents, artwork, and books no longer in print. Mop up as much water as possible to begin drying out your home. Elevate soaked items to allow air circulation.

Photographs

Remove items from frames, record the date and any other notations written on the back of photos. Rinse with cool, clean water. If stuck together, soak in cool water until photographs separate or can be pulled apart very easily. Do not touch or blot the surfaces of photographs while they are wet. Place them face up on a clean dry surface and allow to air dry for at least 48 hours. Be sure the room is not dusty and has good air circulation.

Electronics

Turn off the device and unplug. Wipe away or pour off any visible water. Allow it to dry for 48 hours. Take the device to a professional electronics store to test whether it will function properly. Testing at home presents the risks of sparks, a short that may irreparably damage the wiring in the device, and fire. If you decide to test a device yourself, plug it into a power surge protector to prevent damage to your home's electrical wiring.

Carpets

If a carpet remains wet too long there is a risk that colours may run into each other or into walls and furniture. Use fans and open windows to ensure good air circulation. Rapid drying is also imperative to prevent the growth of mold, which can be a health hazard. (Mold spores are present in the air and on many surfaces. Warmth and moisture allow mold spores to grow and multiply. Reactions to mold range from hay fever-like symptoms and difficulty breathing to memory loss and pulmonary haemorrhage in the case of toxic molds.)

If wall-to-wall carpet is soaked it may be necessary to lift it up to either allow the underlay to dry or replace it. This can be a labour intensive job; moulding must be removed and the heavy water soaked carpet must be lifted carefully to prevent further damage. Use fans and open windows to increase air circulation. Depending on the degree of damage, you may wish to simply replace the carpet.

Area rugs tend to be more richly coloured and depending on the fabric and dyes, there is a significant risk that colours will bleed into one another. Elevate the rug to dry both top and bottom. If the colours have already started to bleed, clean immediately, according to manufacturers directions. It is important to clean it before it dries to prevent the bleeds from becoming permanent stains.

For silk rugs it is best to contact the manufacturer or the retailer regarding the best way to prevent permanent damage. Moisture can ripple silk fibres causing the rug to lose its softness and shape.

Wooden Furniture

Wood swells when wet becoming heavy and fragile. As it dries, it returns to its normal size although permanent damage may occur e.g. warping and cracking. If wood is affixed to plastic, fabric or metal inside the piece of furniture, damage may occur due to different rates of swelling and drying. It is important to dry the object at a uniform rate. For example, don't attempt to dry one part of a couch at a time by pointing a fan directly on an area. Use fans to circulate air throughout a room, rather than pointing them directly at specific items.

Wood Veneer

When veneer furniture becomes wet, there is a risk that it will buckle and pull away from the particleboard (or other material) underneath. As the furniture dries, the veneer and the underlying wood product may dry at different rates. The pressure of different rates of shrinkage can cause the glue holding the veneer in place to come unstuck. To prevent this, use a dry towel to blot up as much excess moisture as possible. Lay a plastic sheet (plastic food wrap can also work) down on the veneer then cover the plastic with a smooth flat sheet of wood. Place weights on the wood sheet being sure to distribute the weight evenly. For side panels hold wood sheet in place with clamps. With proper ventilation, the piece of furniture will dry slowly and the veneer will remain intact.

Books

If you have a large number of water-damaged books, prioritize your clean up. If you have rare or antique books start with those. Blot away dirt and moisture. Fan the books open and interweave white paper towels between wet pages. Paper is subject to the same rule as wood: Slow uniform drying will help preserve the integrity of the item. Books with glossy pages should also be a priority. The coating on glossy pages will make pages stick together permanently if they are not separated while wet.

Water damage clean up can be labour-intensive time consuming but done correctly, it is possible to salvage the irreplaceable treasures and keepsakes that go into making a house a home.