Water damage can result from many different kinds of problems that might happen within your house, such as burst pipes, clogged toilets, leaking dishwashing lines, water heater failure, sewage backup, and sump pump malfunction.
These accidents might quickly lead to standing water or sewage that causes serious problems. You might also have damaged or destroyed walls, flooring, and furniture aside from the floods. Water damage to your walls may have caused early signs of mold to spread throughout your house. These are the damages that professional water damage restoration services can help to lessen.
Understanding what is water damage restoration and the processes involved will help you take the necessary action to restore your house to its previous state.
What Is Water Damage Restoration?
Inevitably, after a flood, there’s a lot more involved than merely drying and tidying your house. It is sometimes not enough to completely get rid of the hazards posed by viruses and bacteria, and simple surface drying is not a true technique of water removal. Even drywall and other porous materials that seem dry on the outside can nonetheless retain water. Examples of these materials include carpet and furniture. A water restoration team’s thorough drying and treatment can prevent unsafe conditions and possible health problems.
The first step in restoring water damage to your home is to use an industry-approved procedure that protects against mold, bacteria, mildew, and odors while restoring your home as soon as feasible. Hiring water restoration professionals will make the process as easy as possible because their accommodating and skilled team will collaborate with your insurance provider and you. The professional water damage restoration services will need your written consent to start the water damage restoration process after determining your insurance coverage.
By insurance industry regulations, the damage to your house and belongings is thoroughly documented, including before-and-after images of the loss to be restored from water damage.
Leading Reasons for Water Damage
The first stage in restoring it is figuring out what is water damage restoration is going to involve. Knowing the leading reasons for water damage could make it easier for professionals in water damage restoration to identify the source.
The following are some of the leading reasons why water damage occurs:
- Blockages from septic tanks and sewers
- Blocked gutters and drains
- Broken appliances
- Broken sprinkler systems
- Condensation in air conditioning units
- Ineffective drainage of roof water
- Leaky or burst pipes
- Malfunctioning sump pumps
- Natural catastrophes (like fires) and rainy weather
- Old or broken water heaters
- Overflowing toilet water
- PVC or rubber water supply pipes
Even in places that don’t appear to have been damaged by any of the leading reasons mentioned above, there may still be water damage. That is when professional water damage restoration services come in, they will be able to recognize the early warning indicators of water damage.
Indicators Of Water Damage
Being able to recognize the early warning indicators of water damage is one of the key steps in the water damage restoration process.
The following are indications of water damage:
- Cracks in the wall or ceiling
- Mildew or mold
- Odors like mold or moisture
- Paint that is bubbling or peeling
- Puddles of water
- Soft areas or sagging
- Structural damage
- Swollen or twisted materials
- Water-related stains
Guide: What Is Water Damage Restoration Process
Water removal is the first step in answering what is water damage restoration process. Often called “restoration first responders,” the restoration business shows up on the site to assess the property, contain and stop more damage, and finally remove any standing water for the restoration process to start.
Although it’s common for water damage removal services to operate independently of a water damage restoration company, removal, and restoration services are frequently handled by the same business.
But the real work of restoring water damage starts after the water is removed. These are the usual processes that it takes:
Step #1: Further Removal Of Water
If the carpet is considered salvageable, the process can involve employing portable extractors to remove any extra water that is soaking the carpet. In some situations, it could be necessary to take out and remove the carpet.
Step #2: Debris Removal & Demolition
Certain building components (such as drywall that is down to the studs, carpeting, carpet padding, etc.) may need to be removed in many cases of water damage if they are not salvageable. As removing carpet to reveal subflooring and drywall to expose wall cavities might lead to a more effective drying process overall, this process typically takes place before the house dries out. Restoration services can usually bypass this stage and go straight to drying out the house if it turns out that there was no structural damage.
Step #3: Final Drying
Subsequently, professional water damage restoration services will use dehumidifiers to extract moisture out of the air and strategically place air movers that will help dry out the house. In just a few days, the house can often dry out with the correct drying strategy.
Step #4: Applying Antimicrobials
In certain cases of water damage, microbial and mold growth could be a problem. Mold can start developing in as little as 24 hours in the right conditions, therefore restoration services may decide to use antimicrobials to stop mold growth or eradicate any existing mold spores out of caution or necessity.
Step #5: Restoring Items
Certain assets could be destroyed by any kind of water damage, but current item restoration procedures have made it possible to rescue a large number of goods. There will typically be items packed out at the start of the restoration process. To repair, a restoration business will remove everything that can be saved, like clothing, electronics, hard goods, photographs, and more, and take them from the house.
A lot of items can be saved, but not everything.
Step #6: Restoration And Reconstruction
Usually, moisture testing is the last phase in the restoration process, after which construction-related services are provided for restoring the previously damaged building structure. This might pertain to finish materials, drywall, plumbing, and electrical work.
