Water damage restoration is the time-sensitive process of restoring your Deltona, Florida home after a water damage emergency. A specialized service performed by trained professionals, it returns your home to the way it was before the damage occurred.
Remediation is a part of the water damage restoration process, treating or, in some cases, reversing the damage caused by extensive water accumulation. It includes cleaning, drying, sanitizing, and repairing any structural damage caused by water. Another part of the process, water mitigation, is performed after remediation and restoration, as it focuses on preventing future water damage.
If a burst pipe or other type of flooding has occurred in your Deltona home, Central Florida Restoration Solutions can speedily resolve the issue and prevent lasting damage to your property and belongings. Here’s everything you need to know about what our remediation services entail.
How Water Damage Remediation Works
Once water damage occurs, three steps must be completed to finish the remediation process:
- All standing water must be removed from the property.
- All sewage water, toxins, chemicals, and other contaminants must be cleaned and sanitized.
- Repair and restoration of all affected items.
Water damage causes more than structural damage. It also presents a serious health hazard. It’s no surprise, then, that most homeowners feel overwhelmed when their home is flooded. Acting quickly to resolve the problem not only prevents further damage but also helps regain a sense of control which, in turn, reduces stress.
Water Damage Removal & Water Cleanup
Removing standing water after a flood is extremely challenging, which is why it’s typically best left to professionals. It involves much more than vacuuming up visible water. There are dozens of porous materials throughout your home, such as drywall and upholstery, which can quickly absorb excess moisture and threaten your home’s structural integrity. The faster you act, the more likely you’ll be able to retain existing drywall, insulation, carpeting, and other materials.
Aside from destroying material property, excessive moisture and standing water create the ideal conditions for bacteria and mold growth. This can lead to a water-damaged environment that causes allergic reactions, illness, and other adverse health effects.
The level of remediation your home needs after a water incident can range from simple vacuuming and drying to complete reconstruction and usually depends on the class and category of water destruction incurred.
How Long Does Water Remediation Take?
We understand most homeowners want life to return to normal as quickly as possible after a water-related disaster. How long your Deltona, FL home’s water remediation project takes depends on multiple factors. Most jobs, though, take an average of 72 hours for a room to dry out and about one to two weeks after that for water damage repairs. But there can always be surprises such as hidden water damage or concealed mold issues that increase the time needed for remediation and restoration.
If your home was built before 1985, asbestos testing must be done before walls can be opened up for drying. If the test results are negative, restoration work can begin immediately. A positive result, though, requires calling in an asbestos abatement company to perform services before CFRS can start drying out your property.
What to Consider When Dealing With Water Damage
Your top priority when dealing with water damage is to act immediately to remediate it. It’s a time-sensitive issue, as the longer items remain wet or waterlogged, the more likely you’ll need to replace them. On top of that, there’s always the dreaded mold problem we so often talk about.
The first step in water remediation is drying out your home. How long this process takes generally depends on:
- How much water accumulated in the flooded areas.
- How long the water stood there before a restoration company was called.
- How much time it took to identify and stop the leak or flooding.
- Whether the water’s contaminated or not.
- Which building materials were affected by the flooding.
If your Deltona home needs repairs after water damage, or if you’re experiencing an emergency and need assistance immediately, CFRS can take care of every aspect of the water damage restoration process.
What You Can Remediate After Water Damage
We’re often asked if it’s possible to clean up water damage on your own. Unless the accumulated water is confined to a small area, the answer is usually no. And even then, there could be hidden water damage that you miss.
When in doubt, it’s always best to contact an experienced water damage remediation and restoration company to perform the work. It will put your mind at ease knowing the job’s done right. Plus, it’ll usually cost you less in the long run, and you’ll get your household back to normal much faster.
Finding the best local remediation company doesn’t have to be complicated. At CFRS, “Central Florida” is in our name for a good reason. We can quickly arrive at your Deltona home to assess its water damage and put you in contact with other local, reputable contractors to do any work we don’t cover.
Here’s what you can expect during the remediation process.
Inspection and Assessment
Our water damage remediation professionals come to your Deltona home to make a detailed assessment. They use advanced equipment such as moisture detectors and hygrometers to measure the amount of water vapor and get an idea of how much water damage repair work is necessary. They’ll also pinpoint the location of the leak and then categorize your water damage.
- Category 1 – This water damage is relatively minor and contains “clean” water that doesn’t pose a threat to humans or animals.
- Category 2 – This water damage contains “gray” contaminated water, typically flowing from broken toilets, broken sump pumps, and seepage.
- Category 3 – This water damage refers to “black” water that contains bacteria and other organisms that cause sickness.
The more extensive the water damage, the more complex the removal process is. For instance, when materials like sheetrock and flooring absorb vast amounts of water, they can only be treated using the most advanced techniques and equipment.
During the inspection and assessment process, CFRS performs a thorough damage assessment of all affected locations, categorizing and classifying the damage that’s occurred. We check porous materials to determine how much water absorption has occurred and measure the level of damage to estimate the amount of work required. Only then can we estimate the time and costs required to restore your home.
While most homes require full water remediation, removal, and restoration services, it’s not always the case. Sometimes a small leak that’s resolved before 24 hours have passed may not require complete water restoration services, as mold might now develop and grow in that short of time.
Water Removal
The next step is to remove all standing water using professional extraction equipment. As long as water continues to stand in your home it can cause further damage deterioration. Water extraction is especially important when dealing with a flooded basement or crawlspace, as standing water in cooler, damper environments can quickly lead to severe mildew and mold growth.
Water removal is performed with high-powered submersible pumps and truck-mounted or portable wet/dry vacuums designed to absorb all standing and surface water from your home quickly. Once all standing water’s extracted, additional inspections are done to determine the remaining moisture levels and to identify whether flooring or carpeting needs to be removed.
Drying and Dehumidifying
Dehumidification and drying are performed after the water extraction phase. We use industrial-quality air movers and dehumidifiers to dry out any materials that still contain water or that were difficult to access during extraction. At this stage, you might think your home is dry, but some materials can still be wet to the touch. If they aren’t dealt with, warping, breaking, and mold growth can occur. Throughout the drying and dehumidifying process, technicians continue to monitor moisture levels in the walls and floors to confirm your home’s completely dry and professional cleaning can begin.
Cleaning and Sanitizing
Thorough, professional cleaning is a vital step in a home remediation and restoration project, as it helps preserve as much of your property and personal belongings as possible. This cleaning should always be performed by experts trained in the safety and sanitization requirements of water-damaged structures.
Cleaning can take many forms, including:
- Spray and wipe cleaning
- Dry cleaning
- Wet cleaning
We might use foam, abrasive, or immersion cleaning techniques to ensure every item’s cleaned as completely as possible. And they may perform mold remediation services at the same time. While cleaning your home, our technicians wear specialized personal protective equipment (PPE), including N-96 respirators, protective gloves, and waterproof clothing for cleaning potentially hazardous materials.
At this stage, restoration specialists also dispose of any damaged materials removed during the cleaning phase.
Complete Restoration
Once the remediation process is complete, the water damage restoration process begins, with specialists returning your home to its previous state before the water damage occurred. Any materials permanently damaged or removed are replaced. In some cases, simple fixes like drywall repair or carpet cleaning are performed. In others, the restoration work is extensive and requires complete reconstruction of parts of your home.
Is It Time to Call a Professional for Water Damage Remediation Services?
We understand the water damage remediation, restoration, and mitigation processes can be confusing for homeowners who’ve never experienced a water disaster. That’s why we work hard to make all three processes as stress-free as possible.
Our 4-step plan ensures you’re never in the dark about what the process will entail:
- We inspect your home and then explain what’s needed to get it back to its original condition.
- We figure out a service schedule that’s convenient for you and your family.
- We explain how each of our services works and what you can expect when they’re completed.
- We help you work with your claims adjuster and insurance company.
Once your water restoration project is complete, you’re able to enjoy your home once again. And you now have a trusted partner for any future water damage your home might suffer!
No matter what time of the day or night, when your Deltona, FL house has been impacted by water intrusion, it’s time to call in the professionals at CFRS to perform services that keep it from doing more damage. We provide 24/7 emergency water remediation and other residential services, including:
Of course, we hope your home is never victim to a water disaster. But if it is, you can count on us to get everything back to normal as quickly as possible! We have more than 25 years of experience, 18 industry certifications, and nearly 1,000 customers served and are experts in delivering fast and thoughtful water remediation services. We always treat your home as if it were our own!
If you need water remediation services for your Deltona, Florida home, Central Florida Restoration Solutions is here to help. For more information on water damage remediation and all our other home restoration services, contact us today.
