For any home or business, water damage is an issue that can range drastically in seriousness. But in order to know how significant the problem is, you may want to bring in professional water damage restoration services. That’s because the extent of water damage or moisture issues can easily be overlooked—especially without the right equipment or assessment methods.
Often, water damage occurs over time—a small leak that seeps below the surfaces of your home, or a buildup of humidity and moisture that contributes to mold or other problems. It’s also very common to experience a more acute event, like flooding or a burst pipe. In these situations, it may be immediately obvious that you need water damage restoration services. Whatever the case, let’s explore the ins and outs of damage restoration.
What Does A Water Damage Restoration Company Do?
Before we get started, what does a water damage restoration company do? And when should you bring them into the picture?
Every company varies, but water damage restoration services will typically include a range of services, such as a full assessment of damage, removing standing water, drying up areas, odor removal, mold treatment, and even structural repairs. These are often the services needed to restore your space to its pre-flood condition.
It’s best to contact a water damage restoration service once the source of water damage has been resolved—so, for example, once the plumbers have addressed a leak or stopped the flooding. But you don’t want to delay. That’s true even for longstanding issues. While it may not feel like it’s urgent to deal with the problem, the longer that water damage is left unaddressed, the more chance it has to penetrate further into your property and cause more damage, leading to more costly repairs.
Let’s take a closer look at how to tell if water damage is present in your home or business, what causes it, and why professional water damage restoration services can be an essential part of the process.
Understanding Water Damage
and Water Damage Restoration Services
4 Common Causes for Water Damage
When even small amounts of water or moisture are present in your home, they can cause all kinds of harm. Even lingering humidity can erode surfaces, contaminate the air, and provide a suitable environment for mold and bacteria. That’s why water damage can stem from a variety of sources, including a broken water heater, toilet overflow, and all kinds of other problems.
Here are four common issues that can result in the need for water damage restoration services:
- Plumbing problems. As the main conduit of water in your home or business, it’s no surprise that your plumbing system can contribute to water damage. Most commonly, issues like leaks, clogs, and burst pipes can introduce water into areas of your property where it should not be.
- Busted appliances. Washing machines, dishwashers, and fridges are a big part of everyday life, but they can also wear down, break, or leak. In many of these cases, water damage may not be immediately evident, since they may be hidden behind or underneath the appliance itself.
- Natural events. Heavy rainfall, flooding, or snowmelt can seep into your home and cause substantial damage. But these aren’t the only natural events to be concerned with. Another common example is when tree roots spread into your plumbing system, causing burst pipes.
- Weakened structural elements. A worn-down roof, out-of-date house siding, and even malfunctioning windows can leave your property particularly vulnerable to the elements. In these cases, moisture and water intrusion may have easier access, resulting in leaks, condensation, and other water damage.
How To Identify Water Damage Issues
When you’re dealing with a large, disruptive water event like flooding or a burst pipe, it’s obvious that water damage will be a concern. But when it comes to smaller, subtler issues, how are you supposed to know that water damage is occurring?
In reality, it’s often difficult to spot the extent of a problem without professional imaging equipment and other methods—which is one of the countless reasons that we recommend water damage restoration services when you suspect water damage. However, here are a few tell-tale signs that water damage may be a concern:
- The smell of mildew or mustiness. If you can smell a musty odor in your home or business, it’s often a sign of hidden water damage. These smells can be associated with poor ventilation or water intrusion, and require deeper investigation.
- Staining or discoloration. A water puddle is a giveaway that something is leaking water nearby—but subtler signs, like discolored surfaces or stains in the shape of a puddle can be a worry, too. These can often appear on ceilings, under counters, and on other surfaces.
- Warped surfaces or peeling paint. When water accumulates underneath surfaces, it can cause visible deterioration to surface materials. Peeling or bubbling paint and wallpaper can be a sign of this occurring. Look out for warped, rotting, crumbling, or softened surfaces, too.
- The presence of mold. If there’s visible mold in your home or business, this is a sign of water damage. Mold needs a water source to survive—and even moisture in the air can be enough for it to grow. That’s a clear indicator that you need to take immediate action.
The Hazards of Water Damage
When it comes to water damage restoration services, you may not feel like this is as urgent as, say, treating your home after sewage overflow or a fire. It can be especially tempting to delay if the issue has already been present for some time, and you’re only discovering it now.
But water damage is a serious issue for your home or business, even if it doesn’t seem like one. Even minor damage can snowball into a bigger problem. Here are some of the many problems that can accompany water damage:
- Indoor air pollution. When moisture is present in the air, it can cause worse air quality for your home. But it can also attract bacteria, fungi, and other issues that can reside in the air you breathe. Water damage restoration services can be crucial to repairing your indoor air quality.
- Pests. All kinds of unwanted intruders thrive when they have a water source nearby. Rats, roaches, and other creepy crawlers can begin to surface if there’s standing water on your property. Once they’re there, getting rid of them can be incredibly stressful—and costly, too.
- Mold and mildew. When water intrusion occurs in your home, mold is often close behind. Mold spores need very little water to flourish, and they can sprout up as quickly as 24 hours after a water event. Because mold can penetrate into subsurfaces and live in the air you breathe, professional treatment can be crucial to comprehensively address the problem.
- Property damage. On its own, water can be a formidable source of damage to your property. Even small quantities can erode surfaces, cause paint to bubble, and damage the structural integrity of your home.
What Water Damage Restoration Services Involve
It’s one thing to understand the impact of water damage, but how can a water damage restoration company make a difference? Let’s take a look at the steps involved in proper water damage restoration services from 1-800 WATER DAMAGE:
- Comprehensive assessment of the damage. Our technicians will evaluate your property to identify the extent of damage. If needed, they’ll rely on thermal imaging technology and other scanning equipment for a clearer picture.
- Limiting the potential for further damage. Even a small amount of time in water can damage all kinds of items. Wherever possible, we’ll help you to remove or block up items out of water, including furniture, to help limit secondary damage.
- Water extraction. Next, we’ll work quickly to extract and remove any standing water within affected areas. Our water damage restoration services rely on a range of industry-specific equipment, including professional water extraction equipment with auto-pump out capabilities, to effectively get rid of larger quantities of water.
- Drying up moisture. Even when most of the water is removed, lingering moisture can still present a risk. We use air movers, professional-grade LGR dehumidifiers, and other equipment—as well as proven industry techniques—which help to dry up any remaining moisture in the air and on surfaces.
Treating odors and mold. When that’s done, we’ll take steps to treat any odors, mildew, or mold present in your space. Backed by years of success treating properties around the country, we work relentlessly to address these problems.
Repairing the damage. If water damage or mold problems have contributed to surface or structural damage, you can count on our water damage restoration services to handle it. Our technicians can take on all kinds of repairs, helping to restore your property quickly and impactfully.
Contact Our Water Damage Restoration Company
At 1-800 WATER DAMAGE, we provide 24/7 and emergency water damage restoration services to homes and businesses nationwide. From damage caused by burst pipes to sewage overflow, flooding, and more, we’ve seen water damage in all its many forms. We understand how imperative it is to respond with speed and precision, limiting any further potential for problems while restoring your space to its pre-event condition.
When you need water damage restoration services with impact, you can always turn confidently to 1-800 WATER DAMAGE. One call and we can spring into action—so reach out today to get started.
