Overview

Houston Water Damage Restoration - An Overview

Water damage is almost always progressive and pervasive. The longer you wait before working to fix it, the higher the chances of permanent damage to your valuables.

If you've been affected by a flood in Houston, it's critical to get an emergency response within 48 hours after the flooding to ensure minimal damage. If your basement or ceiling has water damage, contact a Houston water damage restoration company as quickly as you can.

The sooner you get the water mitigation process started, the less the damage over time.

How Do You Restore Water Damage?

Dealing with water damage is challenging for home and business owners alike because damage can occur in so many different and sometimes unexpected ways.

When dealing with water damage, whether it's your home or business that's affected, it's important not to panic. Help isn't hard to find, and you are not alone. 40% of American homeowners have experienced losses from water damage.

But regardless of whether the cause of water damage is external, like a flood or heavy rains, or internal, like burst pipes, it's vital to get the damage addressed right away.

Water damage restoration is not a one-step process, and there are a lot of different processes involved. A roadmap of the whole process is highlighted below.

Steps in The Water Damage Process

Every step in the process serves a purpose, but after all the steps are carried out correctly, your home will be free of water and the contaminants that came with it.

1. Inspection and Assessment

Damage restoration companies first perform a thorough assessment of the damage caused. A water restoration specialist will visit your home, and in addition to looking at all the water damage, will also classify the damage that occurred.

The classification is done based on the porosity of the material damaged in the impacted area and how much water has been absorbed.

The process is sophisticated, and a variety of equipment, including moisture detectors and hygrometers, are used to measure the level of damage accurately.

Inspection and assessment help the specialist gauge the amount and type of restoration services required. Based on what the specialist finds, the damage will be rated from Class 1 to 4.

The specialist will also identify the water source and ensure that the water has stopped damaging your home. They will also determine the contamination level of water and rate it Category 1, 2, or 3.

The water restoration company will give you an estimate of the costs required and the approximate time it'll take for the repairs to complete.

2. Mitigation

Mitigation will start right after inspection. It involves stopping the source of water from further flooding your home. In some cases, preventing the water from flooding the home requires boarding up windows or setting up a roof tarp.

Simultaneously, the items that remain unaffected by the water are separated and protected from damage.

If the process of mitigation is started right after the damage is observed, it can save you thousands of dollars in losses. It also limits the damage caused to the items affected by the water.

3. Water Extraction

After the damage has been assessed and the water source stopped, the standing water in the affected area is extracted.

It's one of the most critical steps in the restoration process – standing water continually damages your home, and it must be removed as soon as possible.

Houston water damage restoration companies first check the basement for flooding. If there's standing water in the basement can quickly lead to mold growth.

Extractors – which are high-power pumps and vacuums – are used to remove all the water from your home.

There are several different types of extractors, the most popular of which are truck-mounted vacuums and submersible pumps. Many companies also use portable wet/dry vacuums.

The devices make water removal a lot easier, and several different types of extractors can be used to remove the water. Some of the most commonly used extractors include:

• Submersible pumps

• Truck-mounted vacuums

• Portable wet/dry vacuums

Post water removal, another round of inspections may be done to determine the moisture levels. The assessments will also help determine if the carpeting or flooring needs to be removed.

4. Structural Drying

After all the visible water has been removed from the affected area, the area's moisture content is gauged one more time.

This is a precautionary measure since leaving water standing for extended periods causes warped floors and walls.

Industrial-quality air movers are typically used for this process.

You may find that the affected area looks dry at this stage, but some materials are still wet to the touch.

Some materials are too challenging for the air movers to dry off thoroughly. For this reason, dehumidifiers are used to dry out any of the materials in your home that are still wet or damp.

This prevents your possessions from warping and breaking and also prevents the formation of mold.

A water remediation specialist will monitor the moisture levels in the walls and floors throughout the drying process to determine whether your home is dry. When the affected areas have been dried off completely, the cleaning can begin.

5. Clean-up and Restoration

This is the final stage and one that's required in every home restoration project. Besides cleaning the affected area, companies also work to protect as many of your possessions as possible from decay.

The cleaning may be done in one of several ways. The most common cleaning methods are:

• Dry cleaning

• Wet cleaning

• Spray and wipe cleaning

Some materials are also cleaned using foam, abrasive, and immersion cleaning techniques. These techniques clean the material thoroughly.

The cleaning phase may also involve mold removal if necessary. Any material that is damaged is separated during the cleaning phase.

Post cleaning, the experts work to restore your home to its original state.

Materials that were damaged are fixed or replaced as required. The duration of the restoration stage varies according to the amount of damage that occurred. In some Houston water damage cases, complete reconstruction of parts of homes is required.

How Long Does It Take to Repair Water Damage?

Repairing water damage takes anywhere from three days to two weeks, depending on the cause and amount of water damage.

You may need to vacate your home if the damage is too severe or if it isn't safe to stay in the house during the repair process. If alternate living arrangements are required, the specialists will let you know.

Do You Have to Replace Drywall If It Gets Wet?

Yes.

Drywall needs to remain dry – contact with water typically results in warping and rot. Consequently, replacement of drywall is necessary when it suffers from water damage.

But you don't have to worry about the replacement affecting your home's structural integrity since drywall is not load-bearing.