What to Do After a Water Damage Emergency
Â
Water damage can happen in an instant, leaving your home or business a complete disaster. Water damage restoration is the process of cleaning up after a water-related incident and finding ways to prevent it from happening again. In addition to restoring your property, water damage cleanup aims at protecting your health, and safety, and improving the quality of life inside the structure.
Â
You can mitigate damage and avoid costly repairs by contacting a reputable water damage restoration firm at the first sign of trouble. They will handle all of that for you so you can focus on the business end of things. You’ll need to call your insurance company and file a claim as soon as possible. We suggest filing a claim after the water damage professionals have completed their assessment to properly report the damages to your insurance company.
Water damage can be a big problem, but calling in professional help can remove the stress and worry. Depending on the severity of the situation, it’s possible that your homeowner’s insurance policy will cover any necessary repairs. If not, there may be other options available.
Â
 A restoration expert will explain the process they go through, and how the water has to be completely gone before the restoration can begin. Drying everything is vitally important because standing water breeds mosquitoes and diseases.
Water Damage Assessment and Inspection
 A water damage restoration professional will assess the extent of the damage inside the property by using tools such as moisture meters and IR cameras. This information will be used to develop a plan of action.
Â
The first step in any restoration process is to prevent further damage. This means shutting off all power and gas lines before beginning any cleanup efforts. The next step is to remove any standing water and dry out what isn’t salvageable, including carpeting and furniture.
Â
The next step involves disinfecting all affected areas with a sanitizing solution like bleach or hydrogen peroxide. This helps prevent mold growth and other infections that can occur when there’s standing water in a home or office building. Then comes the drying process, which can take up to 3-5 days depending on how much moisture has been absorbed into the structure of your home or business building.
Set Up Equipment and Remove Excess Water
 A water damage cleanup professional will use special equipment to remove excess water from your property. This may include an extraction machine that removes water from carpeting, padding, and upholstery or a submersible pump for large amounts of standing water or flooding. A commercial air mover or blower may be set up to further expedite the moisture removal process. All damaged materials will be removed.
Drying and Dehumidification Process
Once the walls, floors, and furniture are thoroughly dry, dehumidifiers are placed in the home or business to extract humidity from the air so mold does not have an opportunity to grow in damp areas. Air movers are again utilized to accelerate this process. This step is often done in tandem with cleaning and sanitizing the property to return it to a fresh, clean state.
Â
Sometimes when there is a lot of water to be removed, a restoration expert may use specialized equipment to dry out floors, walls, and ceilings. These machines create negative pressure inside your home, which draws out all of the moisture from your walls and furniture. The machines then remove any remaining moisture with powerful fans that push all of the air out of your home.
Â
Now that you have been through this experience you know what to expect. In the future, if you’re ever faced with a similar situation, remember to turn off the water, and turn off the electricity to prevent anyone from being shocked by wet carpeting. Call the water damage restoration experts at Xpress Restoration, Inc. and fill them in on what’s happened. While you’re waiting for them to arrive, finish the rest of the steps in this list.
Certifications, Ratings, and Awards
Previous
Next
5 Step “What to do in a water emergency” Guide:
- Turn Off the water
- Turn Off the electricity
- Call a Water Damage Restoration Expert
- Take Pictures of the Damage
- Call your Insurance Provider
Â
Â
It is important to get everything as dry as possible to prevent mold growth.
Your first priority after any water emergency is to call a professional water damage restoration company to restore your property and belongings. Water damage professionals can be on-site within minutes, ready to manage the crisis.
Â
When you need a water damage restoration specialist, call us at Xpress Restoration Inc. We have the knowledge and experience to handle all types of emergency clean-ups. We have 24/7 response time for emergencies and can help you navigate the insurance claims process.
NEED WATER DAMAGE RESTORATION SERVICES IN SAN DIEGO?
EMERGENCY RESPONSE
We respond to emergencies 24 hours a day, 7 day a week, 365 days a year. Highly trained technicians are ready to respond now to your call.
INSPECT THE DAMAGE
We will inspect the damage to ceilings, walls, floors and other parts of your property FREE of charge. We use state-of-the art infrared cameras and moisture monitors to find all areas of damage, even if they’re hidden.
SECURE FURNITURE & BELONGINGS
We will move belongings to a dry place. If the damage is extensive, we will carefully pack and inventory the items for safe-keeping until your property is restored
DRY OUT
We will ensure your property is completely dry by placing fans and dehumidifiers anywhere the structure is wet. For more severe damage, we may also remove drywall, flooring, and other material that is beyond repair.
RESTORATION
After ensuring your property is dry, we will work with you to restore it to its pre-damage condition and return your belongings to get you BACK TO NORMAL.
INSURANCE CLAIM SUPPORT
We have helped thousands of customers navigate the insurance claim process for water damage.
WHY YOU SHOULD CHOOSE XPRESS RESTORATION
- Free estimates & damage assessments
- Emergency Response in Under 60 Minutes
- IICRC Certified & Insured. BBB Accredited & A+ Rating
- We Help with Insurance Claims
- Full-Service Flood Cleanup Projects
- We are locals and Available 24/7/365
- Water/Flood Damage Restoration Specialist.
- Licensed General Contractor #962604 (Gen. B)
- Applied Microbial Remediation Specialist
