Water damage restoration is the process of restoring property and materials to their pre-water disaster condition. This includes repairing structural damage and avoiding long-term issues like mold growth and other health risks for building occupants.
Professionals are trained and certified to follow industry standards for a safe and effective water cleanup. This process typically involves inspection and assessment, water removal, cleaning, deodorization, and methodical drying of unsalvageable material.
Inspection
After a water damage restoration Cary expert assesses the situation, they’ll take photos and conduct a thorough inspection. They’ll check the moisture level using a variety of tools, including moisture detectors and hygrometers.
This is an important step that will help ensure that the restoration process is successful. It also helps prevent further problems from occurring. For instance, standing water can breed mold in as little as 24 hours.
In this stage, your water damage restoration company will remove any unsalvageable materials, such as drywall down to the studs and carpet padding. This can improve the speed and efficiency of the drying process. Your specialist will also document the source, contamination level, wet porous materials percentage and low evaporation material percentage. They’ll also wear personal protective equipment during this step.
Extraction
Once the experts have completed their inspection, they can start removing any standing water. This typically involves using professional equipment, such as truck mounted water pumps and commercial-grade dehumidifiers.
This is a vital step in the restoration process, as microorganisms can spread quickly when standing water remains for too long. It’s also possible that certain building materials, such as drywall, may need to be removed and replaced.
The drying and dehumidification phase uses commercial-grade fans and air movers to accelerate the evaporation of any remaining water in your home. This will also help reduce the risk of mold growth in affected areas. It’s important to note that this process can take longer than just water extraction. It may also involve repairing walls, floors and carpeting.
Cleaning
Water damage restoration professionals must perform a thorough cleaning after they have extracted all of the standing water. This includes carpeting, furniture, walls and other surfaces. Professionals use high powered vacuums and dehumidifiers to remove the water. They also monitor moisture levels to determine when the property is dry and can safely be restored.
Moisture that gets into drywall and insulation can cause permanent damage and structural issues in the home. It also poses health risks by promoting the growth of bacteria and mold.
Mold and mold spores can trigger allergic reactions in people and pets and increase the risk of respiratory infections. To prevent this, it is important to choose an IICRC-certified professional who follows industry standards. They will use disinfectants and sanitizers to kill any bacteria, viruses or fungus that may be present.
Deodorization
During the deodorization phase, professional restoration specialists sanitize and disinfect areas of the home that were exposed to water damage. They also deodorize the home to remove lingering odors. This process is a mixture of physical and chemical processes that use a variety of chemicals to strip away volatile components from materials such as fabric, leather, carpeting and wood.
Once all of the standing water has been extracted and any contaminated material has been removed from your home, the restoration process begins. This includes repairing any permanent damage, and restoring your home to its original condition before the loss occurred. This may include installing additional ventilation, using paints and drywall designed to resist moisture, and applying antimicrobial treatments to prevent fungal growth or mold spores.
Restoration
Water damage restoration is a process that takes five steps, starting with inspection and assessment, followed by water removal, drying and dehumidification, cleaning and sanitizing, and finally restoration. By following these steps, a homeowner can have their home restored back to its pre-damaged state.
The first step of the restoration process is to do a detailed assessment, which involves checking for moisture absorption in impacted materials. This is done by using equipment such as hygrometers and moisture detectors.
The next step is to dry out the property, which can be done by setting up air movers and dehumidifiers. If necessary, unsalvageable materials may be removed (e.g., drywall down to the studs, carpeting and carpet padding).