What is Water Restoration?
Water damage restoration is the process of repairing and cleaning water damaged property. Treating water damage quickly can minimize damage , expense, and prevent mold growth.
Steps to Repair Water Damage
- Inspection: Professionals assess the damage to determine the extent of the problem and the best course of action. Professionals use moisture meters, thermal imaging cameras, and knowledge when performing an inspection. Using these tools, they figure out where the water is, where the water has traveled, and where it may travel to.
- Water removal: Stagnant water is removed using pumps, professional extractors, and other special equipment. Water can hide in places that people least expect and untreated water damage can cause more serious issues. Dry to the touch does not mean the material is dry. For example, wooden 2×4’s can feel dry, but there can be moisture trapped between studs, where you can’t physically touch.
- Drying: The damaged area is thoroughly dried using air movers, commercial grade dehumidification and other drying devices. Understanding the drying process is critical to ensure coverage. Bedroom fans and home dehumidifiers are rarely adequate in drying water damage because they are not made to dry saturated building materials. Usually, these devices don’t have CFM (Cubic Feet per Minute) power to appropriately dry.
- Cleaning: All surfaces and goods in contact with water are cleaned and disinfected. Mold can grow on wet materials and other contaminants can travel with the water.
- Repair: Structural damage caused by water is repaired. Drywall, insulation, and other building materials may need to be removed in order to properly dry the structure. Determining wet and dry using professional help can save money by only removing necessary materials.
- Restoration: The final step is to restore the damaged area to its pre-damage condition. Proper documentation is critical when asking your insurance carrier to pay. Insurance can’t pay for something they have no proof ever existed.
Can I perform the drying myself?
Water damage can be caused by a variety of sources, such as broken pipes, overflowing sewer drains and heavy rains. Property owners have a right to dry their property themselves, but unfortunately it’s more complex than just using at-home equipment. Before starting the restoration process, it is important to identify the source of the water. Once the source is identified, fix it. Then, figure out where the water has all traveled and plan your drying process. We recommend that you hire a professional water damage restoration company to handle the process as they have the equipment, knowledge and experience to effectively restore your property. In summary, professional restoration companies that are reputable have experience in working with insurance companies and know what they require. Failure to adequately mitigate the damage from using an unexperienced contractor or performing a DIY approach can result in lost insurance coverage and/or a lost claim.
Service Restoration offers 24/7 quick response to all of our customers – Commercial and Residential. Using proven processes, we pride ourselves on customer satisfaction and eliminating the stress from a stressful situation. Whether you have Flood, Water, Fire, Sewage, Mold, or Storm damage – we’ve seen it all and have staffed our teams appropriately to handle losses of all sizes at all hours.
