Tips for water damage

Take pictures of any possible damage to help with insurance claims. Mold is the first priority. Dry everything as quickly as you can. Remove drawers from wood furniture and let them dry to reduce sticking. Don’t dry wood or fabrics in the sun. Wood will warp and fabrics will fade. If you have valuable paper or books that are wet, if possible, wrap them in plastic and take them to a freezer to be stored until they can be restored. Discard mattresses and upholstered furniture unless the wooden frame is very valuable. Reupholstering is expensive. Find much more information about clean-up, insurance claims, and mold problems, in our report “Dealing with Disaster: How to Protect Your Collection From Theft, Fire and Natural Disasters and How to Handle a Disaster If It Strikes.”