The following are commonly asked questions about the claims process. If you don’t find the answer you’re looking for, please email me and I will include it in this section for future reference.
Although walls and ceilings may look dry after a water damage, water (in most cases) has entered behind the walls.
Using a moisture meter will determine if you have moisture is behind the walls. If you have moisture behind the walls, there is almost a guarantee that you will have mold in the future (often within 36 to 72 hours). Unknown wet insulation is also a great place for odors and mold growth.
Please don’t forget that water damages computers as well. Office equipment, paper files, furniture, art work, and musical instruments all might look dry on the outside, but might contain unwanted moisture creating future permanent damage.
Water damage is the leading cause of mold growth. Mold, like other bacteria, animal or plant life, needs water to grow. Remove the moisture and water, and then you have stopped the mold from growing (not stopping the mold, just the continual growth).
It takes 3 main ways for mold to develop:
1. Moisture
2. Food source (drywall , carpet, organic dust )
3. Warm temperatures
1. Extract as much water as possible.
2. Remove furniture from the affected area or put furniture on blocks.
3. Correctly take carpet from floors. If done incorrectly (not using professional techniques), the carpet will rip as well as ruin carpet seams.
4. Remove wet padding and dispose.
5. Extract as much water from the sub floor as possible.
In many cases, after a storm many restoration companies book up quickly so you want to call a qualified water damage restoration specialist as soon as possible.
Meanwhile here are some tips on what to do while you are waiting:
1. Remove as much water as possible.
2. Get all the items in the effected areas onto wood blocks of the flooring.
3. Carefully remove the baseboard from your home ( wall base for office ) and drill large quarter size holes on the unpainted areas. This will allow air movement to start drying the walls.
4. Remove any sensitive moisture items (computers, very expensive furniture, artwork, etc.) to area not effected by the water damage.
One of the many tools available to a professional water damage restoration company is the use of air drying. Using speed dryers, air mover, etc. pushes or moved the moisture off the water damaged effected material (carpet, furniture, walls, etc.) and dispossessed into the air where the commercial dehumidifier catches it and removed it from the room.
Dehumidification is the process of removing moisture from the air and away from the areas that you want dry.
The Standard Flood Insurance Policy will pay for part, if not all of the water mitigation services. As a homeowner or business owner you have the right to use whoever you want to mitigate (extract water, lift carpet, remove padding, remove wall base, place air movers and dehumidifiers, etc.) the water damage. Have your water mitigation company representative contact me so I can review the coverage with him.
When your water mitigation company sets up fans and dehumidifiers, they will take moisture readings throughout your building. A water mitigation technician will come back at least once per day (sometimes more) over the next few days to take additional readings. These readings determine how much longer the fans and dehumidifiers will need to run in order for the building to be properly dried.
Areas recuperating from floods are often prime targets for less than-honest business activities. Building codes often require that work be done only by licensed contractors. Some building departments and trade associations keep lists of contractors who work in the community.
Here are some points to remember: