How to restore water damaged photos
Preventative measures include:
Back-up photos and digitally scan any tangible photos onto a flashdrive which is easily portable
Put these digital copies of photos on a digital secure database such as icloud or Google photos
Stores such as Best Buy help in digital photo recovery and computer restoration
Quick Tips from UT Austin School of Information:
“Do not rush into salvage. Rushing may cause you to damage fragile paper. Instead, take your time and think about how you can work safely.
Wear gloves when working with flood damaged materials to protect yourself
Consider freezing wet books, paper and photographs to prevent mold growth. If possible, place pieces of wax paper between each photograph. Place photos in plastic bags and freeze. Then you can thaw and dry them at your convenience.
Do not freeze anything made of glass.
Air dry materials by laying them out on a surface covered with paper towels or other absorbent material. Dry paper in stacks no more than ¼” high.
Use fans to keep the air moving, but do not aim fans directly at the wet materials.
Clean mold from materials using soot sponges.
Materials may look curled or wrinkled after salvage. This is okay. Salvage is designed to get things safe from mold growth and further damage. A conservator may have to help restore damaged items to their previous appearance.”
Helpful sources for additional help:
https://www.ischool.utexas.edu/response
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwZrHHUe6YsBR1RGcHp3QmV1alk/view
https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/113297 (with Spanish translation)
