Water damage can occur in a home, building or commercial property at any time from a wide range of sources, such as condensation from an air conditioner, cooking or humidity, clogged gutters, a damaged roof during a rainstorm, defective sprinklers, a flood, a leaking or burst pipe, an old water tank, or a toilet overflow.
When damage happens, it doesn’t merely affect interior items and structural surfaces. Water can cause mold and bacteria growth, metal corrosion and wood rot. Pools of water can even make a property more attractive to pests.
What can you expect when you hire a water damage restoration company? Keep reading to learn about the restoration process.
What Is Water Damage Restoration?
Water damage restoration is the process of repairing and restoring a home or property that has been affected by water damage – whether it be from flooding, roof leaks, or damaged plumbing.
The job of a restoration company is to prevent further damage, return a property to its previous state, and make the site safe again. Additionally, they use specialized equipment and techniques to remove water, dry affected areas, and address issues like mold growth to restore the property fully.
The Water Damage Restoration Process
The following is the six-step restoration process. Each step is carefully executed to ensure thorough and effective restoration, minimizing further damage and preventing future issues.
- Inspection, Preparation and Water Extraction
- Demolition and Removal of Debris
- Final Structural Drying
- Application of Sanitization Solutions
- Salvage of Interior Content
- Reconstruction of the Site
Let’s review what you can expect with each step when you hire a restoration company:
1. Inspection, Preparation and Water Extraction
When you call a restoration company, they will first inspect the structure to determine the best course of action. Then, they remove and ship any items they believe they can salvage off-site.
The next step is to then open the doors and windows for airflow and use dry/wet vacuums and portable water extractors, air movers that move moisture from carpets, floors, and other items into the air, and commercial dehumidifiers that pull that water out of the air.
2. Demolition and Removal of Debris
Water damage sometimes involves the destruction of building materials. If structural damage happens, restoration professionals must remove and replace any materials they cannot restore before performing a final dry-out, such as carpets and underlying padding, wood flooring, wallpaper, drywall, electric wires, insulation, and pipes.
3. Final Structural Drying
The team repositions their extraction equipment to remove all remaining water. Moisture can linger, especially on humid days or during a wet season. As a result, this step usually takes several days.
4. Application of Sanitization Solutions
Since mold can start growing in a waterlogged structure within 24 hours, the team applies antimicrobials to kill mold spores and prevent colony growth. This process also kills harmful bacteria.
5. Salvage of Interior Content
By this point, the restoration company attempts to salvage any content they initially sent to an off-site location. Salvageable items might include books, clothes, collectibles, electronics, furniture, paintings, photographs, and textiles.
6. Reconstruction of the Site
After the team performs tests to guarantee that they adequately remove mold, moisture, and bacteria problems, a construction team rebuilds the previously removed structural materials. The amount of time this process takes depends on the amount of damage. Once they finish their work, the restoration team will bring back the saved interior content.
Closing Out
The water damage restoration process is essential to restoring a property after incidents like leaks, flooding, or plumbing issues. The restoration process effectively addresses the damage, from inspection to reconstruction, while minimizing long-term issues like mold and structural damage. Home and building owners should act quickly and call a water damage restoration company to prevent further deterioration and protect their property.
At U&S Companies, we provide water damage restoration in Macomb, MI and surrounding areas. If you’ve experienced water damage in your home or building, contact us for an immediate response – request a quote today.
