Whether you have a busted pipe or have flooding from a recent storm, if you have signs of water damage, water restoration may be the only option to fix everything and make your home livable again. For many people, water damage restoration isn’t ever thought about, that is until disaster strikes.
Here are 10 important things to know about water damage restoration.
1. Contact Your Insurance Company ASAP
As soon as you find damage, contact your insurance company ASAP. They will give you instructions about what to do to prevent water damage from spreading. They also might be able to cover some of the damages, making the restoration cost less expensive.
If you do not contact the insurance provider as soon as you learn about the damage, you may be more responsible for the price. Even if you’re not sure if your insurance company covers water damage restoration in Austin, call anyway just to find out.
2. Not All Water Damage Is Covered by Insurance
Not all water damage is covered by insurance. For example, some insurances do not cover water damage caused by flooding if you live in an area prone to floods.
Don’t get upset if your insurance provider informs you that your water damage is not covered by your plan. In many cases, we can work with your adjuster and get the claim covered, just call us to help.
3. There’s More Than One Type of Water Contamination
When insurance agents inspect your house after water damage, they will separate the damage according to the type of contamination. There is white water, grey water, and black water. Each contamination type requires different cleaning methods, water extraction, and dehumidification.
4. Your Troubles Aren’t Over After the Water Dries
Many people think that their troubles are over once they fix standing water in their house. Unfortunately, this assumption isn’t always correct.
Unless you are proactive in helping the water dry, moisture can accumulate further. This can cause your property to rot or mold. Mold is dangerous to our health, and it is really troublesome to treat since it spreads so easily. Even if you think the water will dry, be smart by calling a professional drying service to protect your home just in case.
5. Timing is Key
Timing is key to an effective restoration. If you wait too long to restore the water damage, you could cost yourself hundreds if not thousands of extra dollars in payment. The water damage could spread, lead to mold accumulation, or rot.
Contact our Water Restoration Service Team as soon as you notice water damage. Acting quickly will save you a lot of money.
6. Mold Can Grow Fast… Like Seriously Fast
It’s very important that you look for signs of mold ASAP. Part of the reason that timing is key is that mold grows fast, in just 24 hours, moisture can already cause mold growth.
Since mold acts fast, you have to act faster.
7. Not All Materials Can be Cleaned the Same Way
Many people try to restore water damage on their own, but they end up only harming their home. That’s because not all materials can be cleaned in the same way. Some materials are porous while others are hard. This leads them to require different maintenance in the case of water damage.
Since it is hard to know which materials require what cleaning solution, it is best to depend on professional restoration services to get the job done for you.
8. Restore Water Damage with Water Extraction
There are many sources of water damage, but ultimately when you have an excess of water you need to get it extracted ASAP. In fact, the best way to stop damage is to immediately remove the excess water, but that can be difficult for one person or family to accomplish, especially without the right tools.
9. Regular Maintenance Goes a Long Way
Obviously, things like bad storms can lead to flooding and water damage, but most water damage is caused by leaky roofs, pipes, or other home issues. Believe it or not, but regular maintenance can go a long way when it comes to prevention.
Make sure that you’re home, gutter, roof, and plumbing work as they should. If you own a commercial building, you may want to invest in a professional inspection for the building once or twice every year (click here to learn the difference between commercial and residential water damage)
10. Restoration Doesn’t Take as Long as You Would Think
When many people hear the word restoration, they think of a process that takes weeks or months on end. Luckily, effective water restoration really doesn’t take as long as you would think.
Ideally, the process should start one to two days after the water damage has been spotted. From there, the professionals work quickly so that mold doesn’t have a time to grow. Because of the time constraints caused by mold, water damage restoration really doesn’t take that long. So, don’t worry about the restoration requiring you to take excessive time off of work or life.
**Learn more about the common signs of water damage here
What to do if You Find Water Damage in Your Home
Since water damage restoration is a tricky business, it is best to hire a professional to do the job for you. You don’t want to run the risk of mold growth, mold spreading, or missing any spots. Even small leaks can lead to massive water damage.
For an experienced water damage restoration service, contact us now.
