So a pipe in your home just broke, and now there are two inches of water covering your floor. No one wants to have this experience, but unfortunately, it happens. Once you have a water leak in your home, you may think that all you do is let it dry. While drying out your home is one step in the process, you can’t stop there. Only drying out the visible parts of your home may not be enough. Today we are going to discuss the entire water damage restoration process from start to finish.

5 Steps For Water Damage Restoration

Step 1

Call a professional. Find a company with 24/7 emergency services. Standing water in your home is a problem that you must address immediately. Waiting for a business to open the next day isn’t an option. SunCoast has 24-hour emergency services and can help you address the problem immediately. With years of experience in these types of situations, we can help keep you calm in what is sure to be a stressful time.

Step 2

Inspection and water damage assessment is the next step in the process. A detailed and thorough damage assessment will be performed to determine the best course of action. The assessment includes identifying the type of water. If you have just sprung a leak in a supply pipe, the cleanup process is much different than a sewage leak. Determining what type of water has caused the damage is important.

Next, we will survey the extent of the water damage. To make sure we don’t miss anything crucial, a thorough survey is done. After this is complete, we will remove any furniture that is in standing water, so there is no further damage.

Step 3

Water removal is the next step in the process. We use powerful pumps and vacuums to extract as much water as possible from your home. This step helps cut down on the drying time your home will require. After removing as much water as possible, another inspection must occur. Our team will inspect any carpeting that is in the area with standing water. We may have to remove some section of carpeting to protect the subfloor underneath.

SunCoast may use additional tools to monitor the level of moisture in your home. These tools include moisture detectors and hydrometers. We can also use infrared cameras to determine if there is moisture in the walls.

All of these tools can help keep you home from sustaining further water damage. It is important to dry out the space as soon as possible to prevent mold growth. Because time is important when dealing with water damage, you will want to call a professional immediately.

Step 4

After removal of all the excess water in your home, the next step is drying and dehumidification. While your floors may look dry, chances are there is still plenty of excesses moisture. Building materials are porous and will retain water. Allowing the water to stay in these materials can cause damage and mold.

Setting up industrial air movers and dehumidifiers is the only way to remove excess moisture. The dehumidifiers will prevent secondary damage such as swelling and warping. High-speed air movers create additional air flow over surfaces which accelerates evaporation. While the process is ongoing, we will monitor the progress. Checking the moisture levels in the walls and floors will show how well the drying process is going.

Step 5

The last step in the process is cleaning and sanitizing. While some items may not be salvageable, the cleaning process will help you keep as much as possible. Water damage can leave behind a nasty smell, that is why it is important to clean and remove the odor. There are some products we use for deodorization treatments. Our goal is to help repair as much as possible so that there is less to replace. Depending on the scenario you may need antimicrobial and antibacterial treatments. This is especially true if you have had a sewage leak. Sewage is extremely dangerous and can cause serious health problems.

Why You Need Water Damage Restoration

Having water damage in your home can be stressful. Having a professional will allow you to sit back, relax, and ensure the job is done right. Not repairing all of the water damage can lead to much worse problems. Black mold is caused by standing water. Black mold is also dangerous to your health. So if you have any water damage, do not wait to fix it. Call the water damage restoration specialists at SunCoast today and rest easy knowing that your family will be taken care of. Our 24-hour a day service goes above and beyond so that you don’t have to worry. This process is almost always covered by your home insurance company.