Water damage: the first 48 hours
Papers, books, archives, photographs
✓ Do
- Switch off the electricity, protect yourself (gloves, a mask if the water is dirty).
- Photograph the damage before touching, for your insurer.
- Get the documents out of the water, the most precious first.
- Air-dry in a cool, ventilated room.
- Lay sheets flat on unprinted absorbent paper, change it often.
- Damp books: standing, fanned open. Soaked books: flat, absorbent paper every 20 pages.
- Not dry within 48 h? Wrap in greaseproof paper, bag, freeze.
✕ Don't
- Dry with heat: radiator, hair dryer, sunlight.
- Force apart stuck sheets or photographs.
- Unfold a soaked sheet, press a wet book.
- Leave damp documents in a closed bag at room temperature.
- Touch the surface of photographs.