You arrive home from work to find your home flooded from a broken pipe. You wake up to find that the water line to your washing machine has separated. Your living room looks like a swimming pool. Your brand new carpet and sofa are ruined, right? Maybe not!

There are many ways to treat water-damaged carpet, upholstery and hard flooring. But what can you do while waiting for help to arrive?

The Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) recommends that you take the following steps while waiting for an IICRC-certified professional:

• Stop the source of water flow.
• Stay away from contaminated water or electrical hazards.
• Move furnishings out of wet areas, or protect legs from moisture absorption with triple-folded aluminum foil.
• Pin up draperies and upholstery skirts to prevent water circles.

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