Having your properties destroyed by water is an unfortunate accident that no one wishes for.
However, regardless of how bad the damages are, it can be remediated. To do this, you need to hire a water damage restoration company with experience.
Remediating a water-damaged building requires some steps to be followed extensively. Each of these steps takes a certain time before being finalized. The duration of the time taken to finalize these steps is what determines how long water restoration takes.
Listed below are the steps that determine how long a water damage restoration takes.
Inspection and Safety Precaution
The areas damaged by water need to be inspected to determine what has been damaged and how severe it is. This involves the use of moisture sensors and meters to determine how wet the area is.
Furthermore, all security threats in the water are assessed before starting work on draining the water. This includes removing all electrical cords or devices that are trapped in the water. And finally, power supplies are cut off.
Blocking the Water Source and Draining Standing Water
The source of the water is carefully located and blocked before any work can commence. This includes contacting a plumber to repair or replace the water container (tank, pipe e.t.c.).
The next step is to drain the standing water in the area either by pumping or mopping it out. All materials trapping water will also be removed from the area.
Drying the Area
After draining the water, the next step is to dry the area. To begin the drying process, all material that could lead to a structural or drying hazard will have to be removed.
Once this is done, a dehumidifier and some fans will be placed in the area. Sometimes, plastic sheeting and heaters will be introduced to aid the evaporation of the water.
In case the walls are also affected, drilling holes into the walls might also be required to aid proper drying.
Keeping Track of the Drying Process and Finalization
The drying process of the structure may take longer, depending on the severity of the damage. However, it is important that the restoration company keep track of this process to monitor how well the drying process is going on.
Employing the use of equipment like a moisture meter, they will be able to determine how dry the area is. Once the required dryness level is achieved, the company tags the job completed.
Deodorization
This process can be considered optional, depending on the category the water damage falls in. If the flood is from a polluted water source, deodorization will be conducted to kill bacteria and prevent mold growth. If the flood is from a clean source, deodorization is no longer required.
The equipment to be used in this process includes Air Scrubber, Fogger, and Thermal Fogger. While the Air Scrubber is used to remove particles, chemicals, and gasses that contribute to the air’s odor, the foggers are used to kill bacteria and stop mold from growing in the room.
Repair of Damages
The restoration process usually involves the destruction of some part of the house to ensure adequate drying. Holes might be drilled into the wall, flooring pulled off, baseboards removed, and many other additional damages.
Since it is impossible to live comfortably in this type of setting, it is important to have these damages repaired. Sometimes, the restoration company you hire might get it done themselves, depending on the arrangement made.
Alternatively, you might have to hire another contractor to help fix these damages.
Additionally, most restoration companies will help you with your insurance claims. It is easier and less complicated if they are the ones sending in the work orders and invoices directly to the insurance company. This way, the homeowner doesn’t have to stress over getting the right payment.
Conclusion
Generally speaking, the time it takes for a water damage restoration process to reach completion depends greatly on how long the material affected takes to dry up and how fast the water damage repairs are done. These have been estimated to take between one to two weeks.
When dealing with water damages, the most critical factor is taking immediate action. Once the water damage has occurred, a homeowner needs to reach out to a water restoration company immediately. This way, they will be able to save some of the building materials and reduce the amount of replacement that will be required.
