Whether it’s a burst pipe or flooding that results from a natural disaster, cleaning up after a home that has been flooded is no easy task. Sure, homeowners are well within their rights to clean up themselves, but is that really the right decision? The process can be difficult, especially when the water has infiltrated deep into the home’s foundation. Contamination can complicate things further and could even pose a health risk.
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If your home sustains water damage, placing clean-up duties in the hands of professionals ensures your safety and provides peace of mind. Choosing the right water damage professional is just as important as ensuring that clean-up and restoration processes begin quickly.
The BestReviews team has compiled a detailed guide to help you select the right water damage clean-up service if something unexpected should happen. Below, you’ll find information on how the clean-up process works, the dangers of taking on the task yourself, and other helpful tips.
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Water damage isn’t reserved for natural disasters only. Water damage can occur regardless of the weather outside. Here are a few potential sources of water damage.
Visible damage is just the tip of the iceberg. When water infiltrates a home, it can also get inside your walls, beneath your floors, and in your foundation.
Here’s a partial list of where water damage could occur in your home.
Gradual water damage is typically not covered by insurance providers. Proper home maintenance and a keen eye can help reduce your chance of experiencing this kind of damage.
Various levels and classes of water contamination exist. The levels of contamination refer to the potential for health risks. The classes of contamination have to do with the actual amount of water present during a particular situation.
The length of time the water has been sitting, as well as the ambient temperature, can affect the categorization of the contamination.
Water damage clean-up generally entails three specific steps. Each step is an important part of the process. Most clean-up services will go through each step to ensure your home is thoroughly processed and cleaned, but when hiring a company, make sure to ask whether your chosen provider intends to perform each step.
The first step of the water damage clean-up process is to extract the water from your home. Standing water is removed with the help of pumps.
After all standing water has been removed, the drying process begins. It’s important to ensure adequate air circulation to encourage quick drying. Equipment such as fans and dehumidifiers are utilized.
Certain items in the affected area will need to be replaced or repaired. Flooring that has been soaking in water for longer than a day will need to be replaced. Drywall will also need to be replaced to stop mold growth in its tracks.
When flooding occurs, there’s little desire to ask important questions and be critical of providers. Homeowners just want to get their lives back to normal. But asking the right questions will ensure you get the best clean-up service possible, and the potential for lingering issues down the road will be greatly reduced.
Here are a few questions you may want to ask potential service providers:
This is probably the most important question of all. Find out what kind of certification a company and its employees have to make sure you’re getting work done by professionals. You’ll also want to suss out whether a company has experience dealing with the kind of damage you need help with. Don’t be shy to also ask for references.
When flooding occurs, rapid response to the situation is crucial. Make sure there won’t be delays by selecting a service provider with emergency services. These companies provide rapid service so you don’t have to wait days or weeks to get help.
You’ll want to safely store untouched furniture and other items, especially if you’ll be unable to re-enter your home for a while. Find out if the company provides a storage service for your undamaged items.
Will workers go through the standard three-step process as outlined above, or do they have expertise in only one area of the process? Are they capable of performing repair services, or will you need to call a separate professional for that kind of work? Inform yourself of a company’s ability to restore and repair items or areas in your home before you sign on with them.
Ask about the equipment a company intends to use to clear your home of water. If they’re not using state-of-the-art equipment, that’s a red flag. Finding out about the equipment they use also gives you an idea of what kind of work they intend to do. Dehumidifiers and water pumps point to a thorough water-evacuation and drying process.
If your home has been saturated with water for more than a day and the water isn’t clean (lake water, sewage, etc.), you’re probably dealing with significant contamination. If sewage is involved, you’ll need a clean-up service that can handle severe contamination. Some flooding may also include dangerous chemical substances. For this kind of infiltration, a company needs to be well-equipped to deal with hazardous waste.
During a natural disaster, you’ll likely need to vacate your home, and you’ll have to wait until danger is no longer present to re-enter. But if a pipe bursts or a spring thaw ushers water into your basement, the flooding in your home may be localized, and you’ll be able to initiate the clean-up process before a professional crew arrives.
Assuming that it is safe to proceed, here is a checklist of things you can do to begin the process.
Make sure the power has been turned off if there is a significant amount of water inside the home. Flooding can pose an electrocution risk, and you’ll want to make sure you and the incoming crew are free from danger. If you’re not sure how to go about this, call your power company.
Remove debris and broken items from the area to ensure that you and clean-up workers have a clear path in which to work.
Immediately remove furniture and other items from the area that have been untouched by water. You never know whether the water level will rise later; save what you can right away.
Keeping safety as your top priority, use whatever means you can to evacuate as much standing water as possible.
If cutting power to your home was not a necessary step, start the drying process immediately. Clean-up companies will, of course, have more powerful equipment. But waiting longer than necessary might allow water to seep further beyond reach.
Don’t risk further flooding. Turn off the water before clean-up crews arrive.
Calling your provider as soon as you can will speed up the process of filing a claim. Your provider may give you advice on how to proceed and might even be able to give you the contact information for a clean-up service. It’s important to begin documenting the ordeal right away, too. You’ll be in no mood to take photos and write things down, but it will help your case later when you need to submit documentation during the claim process.
You may feel like there is a lot to deal with all at once in the event of a water disaster in your home. However, it’s wise to keep these potential mistakes at the forefront of your mind so you don’t make them yourself.
When flooding, water damage, and infiltration occur, it’s easy to forget the potential dangers as stress and worry cloud your mind. But you must make sure to cut off the water supply to avoid further flooding and cut off the electricity supply to avoid electrocution hazards. You must also realize the very real potential that your health could be compromised if you deal with contaminated water without proper protective gear.
Of course, some situations will require you to wait longer than advised to address water damage and begin the clean-up process, but if you are ready and able to deal with damage right away, don’t delay. The longer you wait, the harder it will be to thoroughly clean the affected area.
When water infiltration or flooding occurs, it’s important to completely dry the affected area. Even if everything appears dry, moisture may have infiltrated hidden parts of your home.
Don’t hire a novice crew just because the company’s services are inexpensive. Hiring experienced professionals is important when dealing with water damage.
If you wait to phone your insurance provider, you may have trouble filing a claim later on.
Water damage clean-up service costs depend greatly on the amount of damage incurred and whether restoration is possible or not. If reconstruction is required, costs will undoubtedly increase.
On the low-end of the price scale, this type of service might set a homeowner back as little as $500. But that’s for very minimal damage that requires no repairs. For severe damage, costs can rise as high as $7,000.
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A. That depends on the type of home insurance policy you have purchased. Some types of water damage may not be covered by your insurance company. For example, basic policies often don’t include a provision for flooding. However, flood insurance may be offered as a separate add-on.
A. Proper home maintenance goes a long way toward safeguarding you from water damage. Check your home to ensure windows and doors are sealed correctly. Periodically verify that your roof is in good condition. Take a look at your plumbing to spot rust and other damage before it becomes serious.
That said, you should also be aware that sometimes water damage is unpredictable and may occur due to a natural disaster. In such a scenario, even the most diligent homeowner can experience a situation beyond his or her control.
A. It’s possible but highly discouraged. If the damage is minimal and little water has infiltrated your home, you may be able to go through the three-step clean-up process on your own. If contaminated water is involved and large amounts of water have gotten into your house, however, you’ll need professional assistance.
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