What is Water Damage Restoration?
Simply put, it’s the process of restoring a water damage restoration and dry out property to pre-loss condition.
On the surface, this sounds fairly simple.
But the process of actually drying out a property is very complex and can take several days to weeks depending on the size of the affected area and the scope of damage.
When it comes to water damage restoration, most property owners incorrectly think it’s nothing more than surface drying a property, but this is neither accurate nor is it safe.
Water damage restoration is all encompassing.
While it may begin with water removal services and extraction…
It proceeds to drying out of the property with humidifiers and air movers, encompasses contents restoration, materials removal and reconstruction along with and/or mold remediation.
Below, we’ll get into much more of the water damage restoration process, what a water damage restoration company does and frequently asked questions about restoring a flooded property to pre-loss condition.
Water Damage Restoration Process
The water damage restoration process starts with a water damage restoration and dry out
Sometimes referred to as “restoration first responders,” the removal company arrives on scene to assess the property, contain and prevent further damage, and eventually extract any standing water from it so that the restoration process can begin.
It’s worth noting that while it’s not unusual for a water damage removal company to work independently of a water damage restoration company, often the same company will perform both removal and restoration services.
After water extraction, however, is when the water damage restoration process truly begins. Here’s a look at how it typically unfolds:
1. Additional Water Extraction
If necessary, the process may consist of using portable extractors to remove any excess water that’s soaking carpet, should the carpet be deemed salvageable. In other cases, the carpet may need to be removed and discarded.
2. Demolition & Debris Removal
In many cases of water damage, certain building materials (i.e., drywall down to the studs, carpeting, carpet padding, etc.) may need to be removed if it cannot be salvaged. This process normally occurs before drying out of the property takes place, as removing drywall to expose wall cavities and carpeting to expose subflooring can result in a more efficient overall drying process. If it’s determined that no structural damage occurred, then restoration companies can typically skip this step and move on to drying out the property.
3. Final Dry Out
Next, your contractor will strategically arrange air movers to help dry out the property and position dehumidifiers to remove moisture from the air. With the right drying plan, it’s not uncommon for the property to dry out in a matter of just a few days.
4. Antimicrobial Application
In some water damage situations, fungal and mold growth may be a concern. Under the right circumstances, it can take as little as 24 hours for mold to begin growing, so whether it’s out of caution or out of necessity, a restoration company may deem it necessary to apply antimicrobials to prevent mold growth or destroy existing mold spores.
5. Contents Restoration
Though any type of property damage has the potential to ruin certain belongings, contents restoration technologies have advanced to a point today where many items are also salvageable. Usually near the beginning of the restoration process, a contents pack out will occur. This consists of a restoration company removing saveable contents such as textiles, clothes, hard goods, photos, electronics and more, and taking them off site to restore. Not every item can be saved, but many can.
6. Reconstruction & Build Back
The final step of the restoration process typically involves moisture testing to verify dryness, and then construction services to build back the building structure that was removed. This could include electrical, plumbing, drywall, finish materials, etc. A will help you through the entire process.
Water Removal vs Water Damage Restoration
What’s the difference?
The main difference between water removal and water damage restoration involves the process.
As noted, is essentially preventing any further damage from occurring. In other words, it’s what professional restoration contractors do before they get to the restoration step in an effort to contain the amount of loss a property suffers.
This might include preservation of the property’s structural integrity, removing contents from the property that can be salvaged, and tarping off or containing other areas of the property where water damage could potentially spread.
Eventually, removal also involves removing water from the property to essentially eliminate the threat of further spread and property damage.
Extracting water from the property is typically performed using a commercial-grade truck-mounted extractor to remove any standing water. Following this, water is often removed from carpeting or other soft surfaces with portable extractors.
After removal occurs, water damage restoration begins. This is the process of restoring the property to pre-loss condition.
The severity of the property damage will largely reflect the amount of restoration that needs to be performed.
In some cases, setting up air movers and dehumidifiers on the property is enough to adequately dry the property out.
In other cases, drywall will need to be cut out, carpeting and carpet padding removed, and antimicrobials applied to prevent subsequent mold growth.
It also often consists of contents restoration to return the likes of a property’s hard and soft goods to pre-loss condition.
In addition to that, if building materials need to be removed from the property, reconstruction may be required before the property can be returned to its pre-loss condition.
As you can see, it’s impossible to restore a water-damaged property until it’s properly mitigated, as professional restoration contractors need to know what needs to be done first.
This cannot be learned until the situation is contained and damage doesn’t risk spreading any more throughout the property.
What a Water Damage Restoration Company Does
What does a water restoration company do?
The main role of a water damage restoration and dry out company is to take the necessary steps to return your property to pre-loss condition.
As we noted in the previous section, the overall water damage restoration process consists of a variety of steps to ensure the property is properly restored and subsequent damage and mold growth does not take place.
Your restoration company – in conjunction with a team of professionals – will usually work with your property owner’s insurance company to help file claims and ensure things go smoothly from start to finish.
While it is possible for separate companies to handle removal and restoration, it’s often easy for property owners to have one company that does both.
Restore Masters, for instance, helps you every step of the way with cleanup, water removal, mold remediation roofing, interior and exterior construction.
