When considerable flooding occurs, dealing with the disaster usually requires more than just a mop and bucket. Depending on the water source, water damage restoration can be quite extensive and take many days or even weeks to complete. Failure to use the right techniques can result in permanent destruction of homes and personal property or conditions that could cause illness in the future. This is why it is so important for home and building owners to work with experienced water damage restoration services when these unfortunate events occur.
Categorizing and Assessing the Damage
Water damage is classified into three categories based on the water source. Category 1 is destruction caused by clean water. Category 2 are damages caused by what is known as gray water. Category 3 is a disaster brought about by black water. Category 1 indicates the fewest health and environmental risks, while Category 3 indicates the most significant risks.
Based on this categorization, which considers the critical level of contaminants and pathogens present, water damage restoration services must determine what must be addressed in cleanup efforts and then assess the level of damage sustained. By using this information, a plan is devised for dealing with the damage in the most effective ways, while removing all environmental and health risks.
Cleaning and Drying
After the assessment to determine the extent of the damage is completed and has been determined what type of water damage restoration must take place, the cleaning and drying effort begins. This process usually takes a minimum of a few days to complete the stages of water extraction, drying, sanitizing, and deodorizing. It can take longer depending upon the amount of damage and size of the areas being treated.
Water damage restoration services will typically remove or store items that have not been damaged to preserve them, then begin working on all the items and structures that have been harmed. They use various drying technologies to expedite the process so that loss is minimized. They also apply different treatments to any pathogens or contaminants that could be harmful and remove any residual odors.
Post Restoration Inspection
Once all water damage restoration has been completed, a thorough inspection is performed to ensure that buildings and items have been returned to their previous condition. During this inspection, restorers check the moisture levels of the items that have been restored, as well as the temperature and humidity level inside the buildings to ensure that everything is dry and there is no risk of microorganism or pathogen growth.
Yet each circumstance is different, which means every restoration effort will also be different as well. In the event that conditions are not ideal the first time, a service may need to continue their efforts before the restoration can be considered to be complete.
The goal of water damage restoration is to bring property and buildings back to the condition they were in before being affected by a flood. Considering the risk of mold and mildew and the potential health and environmental hazards that may be present, this can be quite challenging. For the best chance at total restoration and the least amount of loss after a flood, professional water damage restoration services are essential!