Florida’s powerful storms and hurricanes can leave your home severely water-damaged. With flooding and mold damage a real possibility with any heavy storm, water remediation services can help you clean up and repair the water damage left behind after a storm.
Central Florida Restoration Solutions provides remediation services that prepare your home for the restoration process when your water-damaged property is returned to its original condition. Our remediation technicians are skilled at ensuring a dry and sanitary environment for restoration to take place.
How Remediation Prevents Severe Damage to Your Central Florida Home
When the worst happens, you need a storm remediation team to inspect the water damage to your home and get the repair process started, so you can reclaim your home. Our storm remediation services include:
- Water extraction and cleanup: A storm can wreak havoc on your home, leaving you with flooded rooms, water-damaged flooring, interior and exterior wall damage, and more. Quick water extraction and cleanup minimize damages the water can do.
- Drying and dehumidifying: Once moisture infiltrates your home, it’s critical to dry out your home as soon as possible to prevent mold growth. Commercial pumps eliminate pooling water and industrial-strength fans speed the drying process.
- Mold remediation: Many Central Florida homeowners must evacuate their homes during a storm or hurricane. If you’re unable to return to your property and begin the drying out process within 24 to 48 hours, the chances are high that mold will start to grow and spread inside the house. Mold remediation on top of storm remediation lets you deal with water damages in one fell swoop.
- Insurance claims support: If your homeowners’ policy covers water damage caused by a natural disaster, CFRS will work with your insurer to ensure you get the compensation you’re entitled to.
- Deep cleaning: Grout, wood floors, and carpeting often require deep cleaning and deodorizing services, particularly after mold and mildew removal.
When Should You Call for Storm Remediation Services?
As soon as possible! It doesn’t take long for drenched drywall, carpets, and other surfaces to become irreparably damaged. Calling a professional remediation company to begin water extraction is vital to protecting your belongings and home’s structure. Make sure to contact a water remediation professional who understands that time is of the essence when dealing with storm damage and can give your home top priority.
What You Can Do in the Aftermath of a Storm
Dealing with storm damage on your own can be challenging and scary, but these 10 tips can reduce your stress and help you get started on the remediation process as you wait for the professionals to arrive. For more tips, check out the CDC’s recommendations for cleaning up safely after a disaster.
1. Safety First
After a severe storm damages your home, your first instinct might be to rush inside and salvage whatever you can. But before you do, you want to check for safety hazards first. When they’re through, storms often leave behind broken glass, splintered wood, and other debris. There could also be damage to your electrical system, making it unsafe and even deadly to enter the house.
2. Check for Structural Damage
Visually inspect your home’s exterior and roof from a distance. Look for holes in the wall, broken or missing shingles, shattered windows, unhinged doors, and areas of water intrusion. All could be signs of extensive structural damage. Remove only the debris you can safely.
3. Take Photos of Damage
When you’re checking for structural damage, be sure to take photos of any damage or water leaks caused by the storm. You might not recall later what damage you saw or where it was located. Plus, keeping a record of damages makes working with your insurance adjuster much easier and smoother.
4. Call Your Insurance Company
Your homeowners’ insurance policy might cover floods and other storm-related water damage. Most providers require filing a claim within 30 to 60 days, so notify your agent as soon as possible to learn if you’re insured for items like hurricane damage, roof damage, hotel expenses, and food spoilage. If you’re not insured for these losses, you still might be able to get assistance from local and federal government agencies like FEMA.
5. Make Only Essential Repairs
As you survey the damage a storm’s caused, it’s tempting to want to make repairs right away. However, it’s important to make only essential and temporary repairs until your insurance company’s representative does their walkthrough. Keep receipts for any repair costs you do incur.
6. Get to Know Your Adjuster
Insurance adjusters don’t always work for the insurance company that covers a home’s damages. It isn’t uncommon for some insurers to hire independent adjusters who perform services for the company but aren’t directly employed by it. Public adjusters are also not affiliated with an insurance company and work first and foremost for you. They can help you negotiate your claim, but they do charge a fee for their services, and they can’t help you with restoration or reconstruction.
7. Take Part in the Inspection
As the insurance adjuster inspects your home for any storm damage, walk along with them and be sure to point out any damage they miss. This ensures you get compensated for all your damages, not just what the adjuster observes. Don’t hesitate to show the adjuster any photos you took of water damage.
8. Know Your Insurance Company’s Timeline
It’s perfectly normal to want to start repairing storm damage as quickly as possible. However, it’s vital to work with your insurance company and understand its process. Most insurers:
- Respond to initial claims within 14 days.
- Ask for more information or a proof-of-loss form
- Accept or reject your claim within 30 days.
- If accepted, send you a check.
Some insurance companies’ deadlines are different when they involve natural disasters.
9. Learn About the Federal Disaster Loan Program
The United States Small Business Administration offers eligible homeowners low-interest disaster assistance loans that cover the expense of repairing or replacing your home or reinforcing its structure.
10. Call in Storm Damage Professionals!
You should call in experienced, storm damage, remediation, and restoration professionals as soon as possible after your home suffers storm damage. Waiting too long can result in secondary damage as your home’s structure continues to fall apart, and mold can begin to grow in multiple wet areas and spread quickly throughout your house.
Round-the-Clock Water Remediation Services
Prompt remediation services are a specialty at CFRS. Our mission is to get your Central Florida home back to its pristine condition as soon as possible. Our friendly and skilled technicians are always fully equipped to clean up and repair the damage done by a storm or hurricane. From water removal to precise moisture monitoring and the final drying process, we get your home ready for the restoration repair process quickly and efficiently.
Because there’s no telling when a storm will end, CFRS offers 24/7 emergency water remediation and other residential services for:
Of course, we hope it never happens, but if your Central Florida home is damaged by a storm or hurricane, you can depend on CFRS to set things right! Our over 25 years of experience, 18 industry certification, and nearly 1,000 satisfied customers make us experts in delivering fast and thoughtful water remediation services. Our technicians always treat your home as if it were our own!
If your home has suffered severe water damage and you’re looking for a local, professional, remediation company, CFRS is standing by to assess the situation and help you get your home back to normal quickly and with as little stress as possible. For more information on our extensive remediation services, contact Central Florida Restoration Solutions online today or call us at 407-988-6101.
