What Happens During Water Damage Restoration?

When your home experiences water damage, it’s urgent to act quickly to take care of the problem. What should you do? This guide can show you each step to take.

Damage Control

If possible, prevent the issue from getting worse. Of course, you can’t always keep water from coming into the home, such as when a natural disaster happens. If the problem is a burst pipe, though, you can shut off the water line going into the home, minimizing the extent of the damage.

Professional Restoration

Next, call a water damage restoration company right away. Many of these businesses offer emergency services. If flooding happens in the middle of the night, call. Don’t wait until morning. Every minute makes a difference in reducing the impact of moisture damage.

Water Removal

The first step depends on the type of moisture problem present. In the case of flooding or standing water, the first thing the contractor will do is get rid of the excess moisture. This usually involves specialized vacuum systems that suck up standing water.

Drying

Next, high-performance fans are brought in to accelerate drying. Humidifiers may be used as well to remove moisture from the air and walls.

Professional Evaluation

Once most of the water has been removed, contractors must evaluate the problem. Restoration professionals carefully inspect the home for signs of moisture, mold and structural damage. If you have a leaky room, for example, the contractor will check the roof’s structure and the condition of attic insulation, rafters, sheetrock and similar materials.

Damage Calculations

Before continuing with the next steps, restoration companies often help you with the process of calculating damages for your insurance company. This includes structural damage and the loss of personal possessions such as furniture or clothing.Repairs
Once you authorize needed repairs, the next stage begins. Depending on the extent of the water damage, this may simply mean repairing sheetrock or replacing carpeting, or it can require extensive remodeling of certain rooms.