Today we want to talk about one of our areas of expertise: water damage.
In this article, we will provide a quick overview of what it is, what are its most common causes and what can be done to limit it in case of a water emergency.
We will also explain what exactly water restoration companies do and what the water damage restoration process looks like.
Finally, if you are looking for a water damage restoration service in Dallas, Texas, you can find our contact information at the end of this article.
Our water damage restoration experts are here to help you!
What Is Water Damage?
“Water damage” is an umbrella term used to refer to all types of damage caused by excess water.
The worst type of water damage is structural damage to the floor, walls, and ceilings of the property. It can make the entire building unsafe to be in due to structural issues.
Water can also damage the carpeting to the point where wet carpet becomes unsalvageable and needs to be replaced.
Doors and furniture aren’t safe either, especially in house floods where there’s a lot of freestanding water.
Personal items can also end up being irreparably damaged, especially things like books and electronics.
Finally, excess water, especially freestanding water, can promote mold growth via increased humidity and cause mold damage.
When you consider all that, it becomes clear that the cost of water damage can be extremely high if the property owners fail to get the situation under control ASAP.
What Are The Most Common Causes Of Water Damage?
Water damage can happen due to a wide range of reasons.
The most common causes of water damage include:
- Natural disasters
- Severe weather
- Heavy rains
- Structural issues
- Plumbing issues
- Sewage backups
- Frozen pipes
- Broken pipes
- Leaky pipes
- Broken water heaters
- Faulty appliances
- Roof leaks
- Pool leaks
What Exactly Do Water Damage Restoration Companies Do?
Full-service restoration companies provide:
- Water mitigation services that help protect the compromised property from further water damage. That typically includes tasks like stopping the water flow, water extraction, removing personal property, structural drying, examining the affected areas for hidden water pockets, etc.
- Water restoration services that help restore the water-damaged property to its previous condition. That typically includes tasks like structural repairs, fixing plumbing issues, mold removal, etc.
What Does the Water Damage Restoration Process Look Like?
There are three categories of water damage: clean water that doesn’t pose health risks, contaminated water that poses moderate health risks, and grossly contaminated water that poses major health risks and can potentially be lethal.
This is not the same thing as “clean water”, “gray water” and “black water”. It’s not possible to determine the contamination category just by looking at the water. It can look clean but be deadly!
The only way to be sure what’s going on is to identify the water source, which is why that is the first thing that water damage experts will do once they arrive at your property.
Once they complete their initial assessment and determine the category of water damage, they are going to stop the water flow and start the water removal process during which they are going to extract standing water with specialized equipment.
Then, once the standing water is gone, they are going to start the drying process during which they are going to use specialized drying equipment and moisture testing to thoroughly dry your property.
After that, they are going to start the water damage restoration process, which is going to depend on the extent of the water damage.
It can range from fixing plumbing leaks to mold removal to doing structural repairs if the floor, walls, or ceilings of your property are compromised.
Finally, they are going to clean everything up following cleaning procedures that include sanitizing the property to prevent mold growth.
Is Professional Water Damage Restoration Necessary In Case Of A Water Emergency?
Whether it’s necessary is going to depend on the extent of water damage but we would argue that it’s always advisable to leave it to experienced professionals.
Sure, if it’s just a minor leak, you can probably handle it yourself, but it can still be risky:
- You might mistake contaminated water for clean water if it looks clear and doesn’t have an odor. Contact with water like that can be dangerous.
- You might fail to sanitize the affected area properly, which can lead to microbial growth. Just because you can’t see the mold spores doesn’t mean that they aren’t there!
- You might underestimate the water damage and miss hidden pockets of water that are going to cause problems later on.
So even when it’s something that doesn’t seem like a big deal you are probably better off calling a water damage company.
Meanwhile, if we are talking about serious water damage, especially if it involves standing water, handling it yourself should be out of the question.
Water damage experts wear protective gear and use specialized equipment when dealing with potentially contaminated water because it would be too dangerous otherwise.
So don’t put your health at risk just to save a few bucks. Waterborne infections can be nasty and might even pose a threat to your life.
If you find yourself in a water emergency, the best way to save money is to call a water restoration company immediately because a quick response will help minimize the effects of water damage.
Keep in mind that the longer you wait, the worse the damage is going to get and the more restoring your property is going to cost
Looking For A Water Damage Restoration Service In Dallas, Texas?
We started out as a regional disaster response unit. True story!
Since then, Greenlight Restoration Solutions has grown into a full-service remodeling, remediation, and restoration company with over two decades of experience.
Water damage restoration is one of our areas of expertise. Whether you are dealing with a minor water event or a full-blown water damage emergency, we can help you get the situation under control!
