What is the water damage restoration process?

3/10/2021 (Permalink)

Water damage restoration process

When water damage strikes your home, it is essential to act quickly in order to prevent extensive damage. Whether resulting from natural disasters, electrical misfunctions or burst pipes, water damage has the potential to cause structural building problems, among many other challenges, if left untreated.  Besides the importance of an immediate response, when dealing with water damage, it is crucial to understand that although every situation is different and requires specific solutions, the general process of restoration remains the same.

As a five-step process, water damage restoration always starts with an inspection and ends with your property completely restored.  At SERVPRO of Martin County, we are water removal and cleanup specialists and are ready to help you when flooding or water leaks cause water damage. The following steps describe how the usual process evolves after a water damage emergency has been communicated to us.

Step 1: Inspection and Assessment 

The first step after water damage is a complete and detailed inspection of the affected property to determine the scope of the damage and come up with a plan of action. SERVPRO technicians are  very knowledgeable and will act quickly to assess the situation and look for hazards and damages that need to be taken care of.  Through this very first inspection the water source of the damage will be identified. Then, after determining the contamination level of the water, the water will be rated in a specific category.

• Category 1: White Water
• Category 2: Gray Water
• Category 3: Black Water

Step 2: Water Removal

The water removal step takes care of large portions of water or standing water in your property. By extracting the excess of water, we will help reduce the likelihood of mold growth as well as the drying time of your property. Equipped with advanced technology such as extraction units, portable flood pumps, and high-volume water vacuums, our technicians will get through the whole task while conducting an organized and efficient move-out, in case one is needed in order to protect your belongings. After the excess of water is removed from your property, the drying and dehumidifying process begins.

Step 3: Drying and Dehumidifying

Many building materials are porous. So, when water damage strikes, very frequently water is absorbed and retained in drywall and wood, leading to a series of problems such as mold infestations, bacterial growth, warping and debilitation of materials. By using specialized industrial air movers and dehumidifiers, SERVPRO technicians will monitor and remove the excess of moisture resulting from retained water in surfaces.

Step 4: Cleaning and Sanitizing

After your property is completely dry, our professionals will help you with the cleaning of furniture, upholstery and other belongings damaged by the accumulation of water. By using a combination of deodorization and disinfection treatments, SERVPRO professionals will clean all recoverable items while helping you to discard the ones beyond repair (if any). Depending on the scenario, our technicians may use antimicrobial and antibacterial treatments for a wide range of microscopical life. This includes mold remediation if necessary.

Step 5: Complete Restoration

The final step is restoration, which for severely damaged properties may involve reconstruction. The goal of this final step is to restore your home or business to its pre-water damage condition. Replacement of drywall, carpets and other fixtures are often performed during this phase. At SERVPRO, our technicians are trained to simplify the restoration process in order to save time and keep cost low.

We are proud to serve our local communities in Palm City, Jensen Beach, Stuart, Hutchinson Island, St. Lucie, and Hobe Sound.

Have Water or Flood Damage?  Call Us Today – (772) 334-8762