All You Need to Know About Water Damage Restoration

One devastating thing homeowners experience is flooding or serious water damage. Whether it was caused by leaking appliances, broken pipes, flooded basements, or sewer backups, it can result in a major issue. To make matters worse, if you do not deal with the problem immediately, molds will develop within 24 hours.

Water damage results in different kinds of structural problems and safety hazards that you will not notice until the problem escalates. But if you click here, you will learn how to spot this issue in your home. It is important to prioritize stopping the leak or whatever is causing the problem. While doing that, you should contact a specialist to commence restoration.

What is Water Damage Restoration?

It is a rescue mission for homes that experienced water damage to return them to the status quo. It is a special service for moisture or flood removal from a residential or commercial property. It is normal for you to panic when you discover that you are experiencing a flood or a severe leak. But you need to take action as fast as possible.

If you waste any time, it will take a longer time to clean up the building. Also, the environment will become conducive for bacteria and mold to breed. These pathogens are responsible for severe respiratory problems and other illnesses.

Restoration vs Mitigation

Mitigation and restoration are two different services. Restoration handles the damage directly while mitigation focuses on how to prevent the problem from reoccurring or even occurring originally.

Restoration does not have to end at bringing your property to a state of normalcy. An expert should investigate the underlying causes of the incident, repair structures that were affected, and replace infected materials. This will keep your building safe for a long time.

Water mitigation involves strict actions such as removing damaged flooring and drywall. The entire property will be disinfected to eliminate mildew and molds that have settled in different areas. Also, the building will be deodorized, but you still need to clean and deodorize again before moving in.

Mitigation should follow immediately after restoration to avoid prolonged exposure of your property to microbes. Walls, furniture, and wood flooring will sag, crack, and accumulate fungi when exposed to moisture for a long time. And if there are pipes behind the walls, the repair will become more extensive and expensive.

How long the mitigation will last depends on your building’s level of exposure to moisture. If the damage is severe, drying equipment and air humidifiers must be available and always turned on until the place is dry. Ensure the company tests the moisture, temperature, and humidity of the building to see whether it has returned to the normal standard.

When Should You Contact a Professional Water Damage Repairer?

When you experience minor leaks, you can quickly find a solution until you can get a professional to repair the source. But when the problem gets out of hand or you doubt that you can handle it on your own, then you need to contact a professional immediately.

Contacting a professional can give you peace of mind because you know they will do a thorough job.Also, your life will go back to normal faster than you can imagine. You can visit Lightning Water Damage of Tampa to have an idea of what to expect from such professionals.

Getting the right person for the job requires a bit of research and you need to ensure that the company is certified by IICRC (Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration). It is a regulatory body for the establishment of restoration standards. IICRC certified companies provide effective and thorough services because they follow best practices and use the latest techniques and technology.

After deciding on the restoration company to hire, you need to ask some questions before the work commences. Some sample questions are:

1. What procedures do you follow during restoration?
2. When can you possibly commence work?
3. Can I remain in the building while you are working, or do I have to relocate?
4. Should I handle my insurance claim alone or will you assist me?

What Happens During Water Damage Restoration?

Restoration is a 5-step process. It starts with inspecting the property and ends when your property is fully restored to the previous condition. Every step plays an important role in ensuring that contaminants and all the water are removed completely.

The steps involved in restoration are:

1. Inspection
2. Water removal
3. Dehumidifying and drying
4. Clean up and sanitizing
5. Restoration and damage repair

Preventing Water Damage

If you want to prevent this problem, you need to carry out regular building inspections and maintain certain parts of your property where damage may likely occur. The areas with more likelihood of water leaks are the kitchen, bathrooms, attics, and basements. Therefore, you need to repair leaks quickly and look out for watermarks, which is a sign that a pipe is leaking.

Additionally, ensure that your property has good drainage, and the downspout is carrying water away from the building. Check the sump pump so you can be sure that water drains out during the rainfall. You also need to clean up and regularly inspect the roofing and gutters.

Ensure you replace shingles when they start leaking and apply sealant and coating to holes. Also, your lawn should not tilt toward the building as it can result in flooding during rainfall. You can visit https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-prevent-water-damage-4178450 to get more tips.

Preventing Damage to Wooden Materials

When wood is exposed to water, it rots, thereby, compromising the integrity of the structure. When wooden materials are exposed to water, they should be properly cleaned to get rid of dirt, mildew, and mold. Applying a sealant or oil-based waterproof will protect them from future moisture damage. Mold can thrive on wood, so you need to disinfect all wooden items in your house to stop mold from affecting you later.

Preventing Damage to Laminate Flooring

This type of flooring is versatile and beautiful but to prevent moisture from affecting it, avoid using it in areas like basements, bathrooms, and kitchens. If there is a spill, ensure you wipe it off immediately to prevent staining and decoloring the material. Also, if the flooring has suffered moisture exposure in the past, ensure you replace the damaged boards.

Conclusion

Water damage is an emergency and should be treated as such. As soon as you notice that a leak is getting out of hand, ensure you contact a professional to take care of it. That being said, you need to look out for a professional that can handle such cases before the need arises. That way, you will know who to call when there is a problem.