Water Damage Restoration

If you have recently had water damage to your home or business, no doubt you would like to see things cleaned-up, fixed-up and up-and-running again ASAP!

We understand!

That is why the contractors we work with strive for SAME DAY response to all inquiries. Contact us now for the best professional Flood Damage Repair Nationwide.

However, if you want a little more information about the water damage restoration process, we are happy to provide a professional perspective to some frequently asked questions.

What is water damage restoration?

There are a few main components to repairing water damage. You could classify the process in 3 basic categories:

  • 1-2

    Abatement
    (aka water removal).

  • 2-2

    Cleaning & Deodorizing.

  • 3-2

    Restoration.

Abatement – first you have to remove ALL of the excess water (visible and non-visible) and get the building completely and thoroughly dried out.

Cleaning & Deodorizing – this part of the process focuses on cleaning up the mess (dirt & grime) left behind, and preventing your floors, furniture and walls from being permanently stained. And don’t forget about the smell! You have to do something about that ‘wet-dog’, ‘musty’, ‘moldy, ‘yucky’ smell that accompanies flood damage.

This is a difficult problem even if you are dealing with a “clean water” flood – imagine if it’s black water! (more on that later)

Restoration – This part of the process is difficult to sum up neatly because it is sort of all-encompassing. First of all, it always includes the first two steps, which often involve the use of specialized professional equipment, along with experienced and highly trained technicians to make sure it’s done properly. However, this is also synonymous with the “repair” or “reconstruction” process, which may include everything from very superficial touch ups of…

water spots, aesthetic damage, carpet cleaning or carpet replacement

…to more severe structural repairs like

replacing subfloors, walls, drywall, etc…

And, don’t forget about mold!

It is almost always necessary to take steps to prevent mold growth, or perform mold remediation if mold is already present.

What are the common causes of water damage?

Some of the more common causes are:

  • Leaky roof
  • Burst pipes
  • Overflow from bathtub or shower
  • Leaky plumbing
  • Burst water heater
  • Severe weather – rain storms, hurricanes, tornados, floods, etc…
  • Leaky HVAC system
  • Overflow from washing machine, dishwasher (or other household appliance)

Is it really necessary to repair flood damage?

The short answer is, yes! Anytime you have a flood – be it by natural disaster or any of the reasons mentioned above – it is critical to clean it up and repair the damage as soon as possible.

There are both sanitary and monetary reasons for this.

Let’s start where most people base their decisions – the pocket book. If you don’t repair the damage from a flood event quickly, it will only get worse and end up being more expensive. The faster you can get things dried up and replaced, the less chance there is of the moisture causing more rot to your structure, or developing a potentially expensive mold problem.

Speaking of mold…from a health point of view, avoiding a mold problem is reason enough to act promptly after a flood event. However, there are more reasons than just mold.

Depending on the class of water that caused the damage, there could also be the potential for hazardous waste to be present. How do you know? Well, more often than not, there is no way of knowing whether you are dealing with a hazardous or toxic situation. Even if you are aware of the 3 categories of water – Clean water (Cat I), Grey water (Cat II), Black Water (Cat III), how can you be sure which type you are dealing with? If it’s a natural flood event we are talking about, what about runoff from nearby sewers, farms, factories, rivers, etc., that could be contaminated or polluted?

Bottom line, it is nearly impossible to be 100% certain that your situation is NOT potentially hazardous.

What does it cost to repair water damage and is it covered by my insurance?

Some estimates show that the average homeowner spends between about $1,100 and $4,100 to restore or repair water damage, with a nationwide average of about $2,600. Although, the cost can skyrocket from there, depending on the extent of the damage.

One thing that can help reduce the cost is to hire a true professional from the start. If the job is not done thoroughly and properly the first time, you are likely to be dealing with mold problems or more extensive reconstruction costs in the future.

Every job and every insurance policy is different. However, repairing water damage is something that is covered by both homeowners and renters insurance – depending on the circumstances (for example, most policies won’t pay out if it is clearly due to neglectful maintenance or no maintenance on the part of the homeowner).

To find out the cost in your particular case, the contractors we work with would need to come to out and perform a “Damage Assessment”, which is basically an inspection and estimation of the extent of the problem, and what they would propose to do to fix it.

It is likely your insurance will want to do their own loss assessment.

The good news is that each contractor we work with have many years of experience in dealing with insurance carriers and are familiar with how to help you get everything you can from your policy.

Do I need to hire a water damage restoration company or can I do it myself?

Let us be clear, cleaning up water damaged areas is work that is always BEST left to a professional.

If you have any reason to suspect grey or black water, we highly recommend you DO NOT attempt to perform clean-up yourself.

If the problem occurred due to a natural disaster such as a flood, hurricane or severe storm, there may be electrical shorts or sharp pieces of glass or metal around and you could get seriously injured; we recommend that you DO NOT attempt to perform the clean-up yourself.

Please use common sense and realize that there are many hidden dangerous with this type of work.

However, we understand that many people will take matters into their own hands anyway. So, because we care for your safety here are a few pro tips you can use to help limit some of the risks.

Steps you can take.

  1. Before attempting any sort of cleanup, you must at least unplug everything, or even consider shutting off the power to your house at the breakers (you never know where there may be an electrical short that could be very dangerous or even deadly if you are standing in a flood or wet area).
  2. If you can connect to a safe electrical source, you can use a wet/dry vacuum (or shop-vac) to try and eliminate some of the standing water.
  3. Once the standing is water is eliminated, you should steam clean the carpets and floors to help prevent permanent staining.
  4. Next, disinfect everything using whatever household chemicals your prefer.
  5. Last, but not least, use industrial strength fans and dehumidifiers to drain every last drop of moisture from the damaged area. Without professional equipment and techniques, this can take several days (depending on the weather), and you still may not be able to get it truly dry.

These steps don’t begin to address the potential repair or reconstruction that may be needed even after the initial damage is mitigated. Again, we recommend you leave this step to an experienced professional as it is vital to ensure the structural integrity of the building – be it a home or business.

The advantage in hiring a trusted professional to handle your flood damage (like the pros we work with) is that we are regulated by the state’s Department of Consumer Affairs and the state contractors license board.

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