Source: waterdamagerus.com
Water removal damage is important to restore your building condition. Water damage can be very destructive. And the bad news is, it can happen anytime, either due to bad weathers or your own carelessness. Insurance Journal stated in 2010 that water related damaged is ten times more likely to happen compared to damage by fire. That research shows that you have to be on your guard all the time and check your house condition and water related appliances frequently. To know more about water damage and the restoration process, let us read some important facts below.
What Cause Water Damage
There are many things that can cause water damage. It can happens because of natural disaster like hail storm and flood. There are not much you can do to stop flood and storm. Therefore, if you live in flood and storm susceptible areas, you need to take some precautions. You need to purchase an insurance plan that covers damages caused by flood and storm.
Source: enhancedinsurance.com
As you can see on the statistics above, the restoration cost for flooded house ranges from $7.000 to $22.000. The cost will depend on the height of the flood as well as the severity of the damage to your belongings and property. If you don’t have the right plan insurance, the company will not reimburse you.
Flood and storm can cause more severe damage. But most water damage happens because of broken appliances and burst pipe. It means this kind of water damage can be prevented if we do regular check to our pipes and appliances. Water damages caused by broken appliances can cost you around $4.000 to $18.000. Not to mention the cost of the broken appliances themselves.
Effects of Water Damage
Source: Tom Ovens, behance.net
Many people don’t take water removal damage seriously. This is not a wise move. If you don’t extract the water immediately and check the condition of your house and appliances regularly, these negative effects of water damage will affect you.
1. Property Damage
Water can absorb quickly to your lovely sofa, your precious carpet and your expensive parquet flooring. Your furniture will definitely be damaged if they absorb too much water. Even if they are not broken, the quality will be compromised and the life span will be significantly reduced.
2. Financial Loss
After the damage, you will need to restore the condition of your property to its original state. And it’s definitely not going to be cheap. The average claim granted by insurance company for water damage case is $6.965. However, you will still need to spend more money even though the company reimburses you. If the water damage is caused by broken appliance, the insurance company usually refuses to reimburse the cost of the appliance.
3. Dangerous Diseases
In the midst of financial loss and property damage, many home owners forget that water damage can also invite various dangerous pathogens. Bacteria dangerous viruses love to stay in humid and dirty place that is your water damaged house. The health risk becomes higher when you have category 3 water damage which usually comes from flood and toilet trap.
Water Damage Restoration Process
When you find signs of water damage, there are two parties you need to call. They are your insurance company and water restoration company. You have to realize that water removal damage restoration is a long process so you’d better do some preparations. Here is the step by step process of water damage restoration.
1. Find the Water Source
The first thing the restoration company will do is to find the source of water. If the water domes from a broken toilet or sink, this part is very easy. But if the leakage is caused by burst pipe or faulty drainage, this process can take a pretty long time.
2. Pack the Things Out
After the water source has been found, the next step they will do is saving your belongings. They will pack your things out to prevent those things from absorbing too much water. It is also necessary since some things like carpet and furniture can get in the way of the water removal process.
3. Water Removal
Now this is the most important part of all. The company will bring some equipment such as wet/dry vacuum and submersible pumps to remove the water from your house. Small problems can be solved by wet/dry vacuum while more severe problems will need some help from submersible pumps.
4. Drying and Dehumidifying
Just because the water is gone and the source of water has been plugged, it doesn’t mean that the work is done. Your house will be very humid and it can still damage and swell the floor and wall. Therefore, the restoration company will take the next necessary step. Drying and dehumidifying. They will use monitoring equipment to find out the humidity level of your house.
5. Sanitizing
Since water damage can invite various health hazards, sanitation is needed after the water removal process. The company will clean the floor, wall, and all the furniture affected by the water. Some parts will need wet cleaning with antimicrobial treatment, while some others will get back to its original condition with a simple dry cleaning.
What You Need to Do When You Find Signs of Water Damage
The restoration company will need some time to arrive at your house. If it is not dangerous, it is best if you take some actions to save your belongings and prevent the water from spreading. Therefore, when you find some signs of water damage, you need to turn off the electricity immediately. Electricity is never a good match with water and this simple step can prevent more damage from happening.
If you can find the source of the water, it will be very helpful. But if you can’t, it is okay. While waiting for the professionals to come, it is best if you save your important belongings and put electronic appliances away from water. If you do these preventive steps, you can save so much money from water removal damage.
