After water inundates your home, you’ll do anything to return your home to it’s liveable, pre-damage condition. Choose a full-service water damage restoration company that will create a detailed project timeline for water removal, decontamination, and drying.
All restoration projects vary; the amount of time required for each depends on a variety of factors. There are common phases to restore your home and ensure that you, and the workers, remain safe during the cleanup.
Inspect
The water mitigation contractor first inspects and defines the “class and category of water damage” to outline the best restoration plan. Each factor will require different skills, processes, techniques, and equipment. Damage is determined by special tools to measure the moisture content of the home. Expect lots of lifting, searching and poking of surfaces like floors, baseboards, and ceilings.
Remove All Standing Water
As soon they arrive, the technicians will rush to remove any visible floodwater or other standing water with state-of-the-art extractors and pumps. This process uses industrial “shop vac” vacuums rotated throughout the room to suck up all the water that’s present in the area. Starting as soon as possible to prevent mold growth, the total time will depend on the materials, the size of the room, and the total amount of water remaining.
Drying
After all standing water has been removed, they will start drying and dehumidifying with many different types of air movers to maximize airflow throughout the damaged rooms. Air scrubbers remove musty odors and other particles from the air. Dehumidifiers can be present for one or multiple nights depending on factors such as the length of time the water has been present and the source of the leak.
Processes might include: lifting up a section of the carpet, using floor mats on hardwood floors, and drilling holes into the drywall to help the walls dry faster.
Cleaning And Containment
The cleaning, containment, and drying phases happen concurrently. When drying the home, damp areas are taped off in order to concentrate the heat to the rooms that need it. This containment enables the work crew to control the environment of the room and protect the rest of the house.
During the drying process, crews monitor the dehumidifiers’ intake and output temperatures and humidity levels. They will compare the readings to those from the inspection phase. As rooms are declared dry, crews will often move equipment around to other areas of the home.
All personal belongings need to be cleaned and sanitized to prevent unwanted mold and bacterial growth. Carpeting, clothing, and drapery are given antimicrobial treatments. Air scrubbers may also be used to remove particles and moisture from the air.
Repair Damage
After the water is dried up, then the team will begin repairs. Restoration involves replacing materials like drywall and insulation, perhaps replacing entire walls. Older homes are likely to contain toxic substances like lead and asbestos so all protective precautions will be used.
Water Damage Cleanup Chattanooga
If you live in Tennessee or Alabama, Apex DKI certified water damage professionals can evaluate your situation, and recommend a remediation plan with your family’s health in mind.
As a full-service disaster recovery company with nine local offices, Apex Restoration DKI is able to provide customers with friendly, personalized service. Apex is a proud partner of Disaster Kleenup International (DKI), the largest and most respected disaster cleanup contracting organization in North America. Call 866-461-5508 or visit apexdki.com
