Have you ever looked at a broken appliance and thought to yourself "I bet that can be fixed." If so, you need to make a call to a repairs specialist. Most things can be repaired — you just have to call the right person. There are repair professionals who focus on electronics, others who focus on home components like roofs and gutters, and still others who make repairs to home appliances, exclusively. Help is a phone call away.
Even though someone else is doing the work, however, we do think it's important for you to know a bit about repairs and restoration. That's why we're providing helpful articles on this blog. Fix it to the max — we know you can!
Water damage can happen in several ways; often, it is from a storm, a roof that is leaking, or a broken pipe inside the home. If the damage is substantial, hiring a restoration contractor to help you get your home livable again is a good place to start.
Water Removal
The first step in dealing with water damage in your home is getting the water out of the house. If there is standing water on the floor, the contractor you are working with will usually use a large vacuum that is designed to handle wet and dry products.
If the water is a result of flooding from a storm or water coming in from outside, there may also be a lot of dirt and silt that settles into the floorboards, carpets, or flooring materials. Removal of the dirt is essential as well, but until the water is gone, the other material will be hard to clean up.
Mold Removal
Once the water is gone, you can begin the task of cleaning up the mess that is left behind. Getting everything effected by the water out of the house is a good place to start. Once the room or house is empty, the water damage restoration contractor can come in and start assessing the damage to the home.
Often a home that has water damage also has mold issues as a result of the water sitting in the house. Mold grows very quickly, so even a short time sitting with moisture in the home can result in mold. Your water damage restoration company will know where to look and will treat the house with algaecides to kill any mold there and stop more from growing. If there is already a lot of mold in the home, the contractor may want to bring in a mold remediation crew before restoration work starts.
Replace and Restore Materials
A house that has substantial damage from the water is going to need a lot of repair work to restore it completely. Replacing wet sheetrock and wood is common. The more replacement work the contractor does, the more they may find along the way. It is common for damage to be hidden inside walls and under floors, but the water damage restoration contractor will let you know what they find as they progress through the restoration process.
Some situations may require more work than others, but if you are planning some upgrades for the home anyway, this might be a good time to do them. Keep in mind, your insurance should pay for the repairs, but they may not allow for upgrades to the home, so you may have to pay for that yourself.
To learn more about water damage restoration, contact a professional in your area.