If you do find yourself in the position where a family heirloom or antique piece of furniture has been water damaged the following course of action is recommended.
Take some photos if you intend to make a claim with your insurance company.
Empty any drawers or cupboards completely.
Put the drawers back into the furniture but do not fully close them or leave cupboard doors ajar.
Doing this allows the air movement within the cupboards and drawers to help with the drying process.
Pat the surfaces dry with paper towels or similar but don't leave the wet towels on the surafce.
Be careful to retain any loose pieces of moulding or veneer which drop off.
Try and put polythene between the bottom of the furniture and the wet floor to prevent any more moisture being absorbed
If possible use fans to keep the air moving as this will prevent mould growth.
Using dehumidifiers needs to be done with care as drying out too quickly can cause more damage. Allowing things to dry more slowly, in for example, a well ventilated garage is much better than hurrying the process.
When moving furniture, try to lift from the lowest point without dragging or tipping the furniture any more than necessary. Dont lift more than you are able to, and remember to bend your knees and keep your back straight!
Don’t panic or despair. Even if the insurance company are more keen to pay the replacement value rather than investigate the cost to restore, often these costs are comparable and especially with a family piece where the sentimental value is much greater.
Please don't hesitate to contact us should you have any queries.
Take some photos if you intend to make a claim with your insurance company.
Empty any drawers or cupboards completely.
Put the drawers back into the furniture but do not fully close them or leave cupboard doors ajar.
Doing this allows the air movement within the cupboards and drawers to help with the drying process.
Pat the surfaces dry with paper towels or similar but don't leave the wet towels on the surafce.
Be careful to retain any loose pieces of moulding or veneer which drop off.
Try and put polythene between the bottom of the furniture and the wet floor to prevent any more moisture being absorbed
If possible use fans to keep the air moving as this will prevent mould growth.
Using dehumidifiers needs to be done with care as drying out too quickly can cause more damage. Allowing things to dry more slowly, in for example, a well ventilated garage is much better than hurrying the process.
When moving furniture, try to lift from the lowest point without dragging or tipping the furniture any more than necessary. Dont lift more than you are able to, and remember to bend your knees and keep your back straight!
Don’t panic or despair. Even if the insurance company are more keen to pay the replacement value rather than investigate the cost to restore, often these costs are comparable and especially with a family piece where the sentimental value is much greater.
Please don't hesitate to contact us should you have any queries.
We appreciate that being affected by a flood can be very distressing but don't despair as it is amazing what can be done so you would hardly know after conservation has been completed . We have put some advice together which we hope is useful.