Hiring A Water Damage Restoration Company? Here’s What To Ask

Hiring A Water Damage Restoration Company? Here’s What To Ask

Home water intrusion can happen in the blink of an eye. And when it does, it not only causes structural damage but can also lead to the loss of valuable and sentimental personal belongings as well as expensive electronics and appliances.

Whether it’s due to plumbing mishaps, natural disasters like hurricanes and floods, or fire abatement, repairing the devastation water damage leaves behind should be handled by a professional water damage restoration company.

What Does a Water Restoration Company Do?

A qualified water damage restoration company handles the aftermath of numerous water emergencies such as leaks and flooding. They also provide cleanup services, inspect your home and property for additional damage, and ensure repairs are completed safely and thoroughly. Although every homeowner’s situation is unique, a water restoration company typically takes care of water-related issues such as:

  • Flood cleanup – This can also include professional water extraction, which is designed to reduce additional damage by quickly removing up to several thousands of gallons of water.
  • Mold detection – Mold can lurk throughout your home. Quick remediation and removal can minimize associated health and safety-related issues.
  • Sewage cleanup – This includes antimicrobial and other disinfecting treatments.
  • Drying or removal – This includes contaminated furniture, carpets, and other belongings. Depending on the severity of the damage, services can also include wood floor drying or removal.
  • Document drying – This helps salvage important paperwork and treasured items such as photographs and letters.
  • Repairs – The water damage restoration company either executes or oversees repairs such as roofing, drywalling, and electrical wiring.

What to Ask When Hiring a Water Restoration Contractor

There are some restoration companies that only perform water damage restoration. Others like Central Florida Restoration Solutions handle several types of damage, including mold, fire, and smoke damage. Depending on your circumstances and needs, you may require more than one type of restoration service. For example, you might need fire and smoke damage services as well as water damage caused when putting out the fire.

When water damage strikes, it’s critical to get it taken care of as soon as possible. Yet you don’t want to hire a company that can’t handle your specific situation. To find and hire the right company to restore your home after water damage, make sure to ask them the following questions. Answers in hand, you’ll be equipped to confidently narrow down your choices to the best match for you.

1. What Experience Do You Have in Water Restoration?

Any major water restoration project calls for a high level of experience. Ask:

  • How many years they’ve been in business.
  • How many water damage restoration jobs they’ve completed.

Some general contractors advertise themselves as restoration experts. In reality, though, they’ve only dabbled in restoration projects when their schedule allows it.

Don’t be afraid to ask for references. If time permits, follow-up on those references and ask previous customers about what work was done and how the restoration company handled it.

Both these steps are crucial to making sure your chosen restoration company has the experience necessary for your project. Considerable experience brings significant knowledge and expertise. CFRS has over 25 years of experience and in that time has served nearly a thousand customers.

2. Are Your Technicians Trained?

It’s crucial the technicians sent to your home are knowledgeable in every type of property restoration problem. They should also be familiar with the best practices and techniques available within the industry. The entire restoration process should be transparent, with all your questions honestly and knowledgeably answered.

At CFRS, not only are all our technicians highly trained, but they’re also polite, prompt, and understanding.

3. What Type of Equipment Do You Use?

A qualified, professional water damage restoration company should use only the most up-to-date equipment and cleaning supplies. Crews should be trained in the latest technologies and techniques for cleaning and restoring your Central Florida home. Plus, the more modern the equipment, tools, and technologies, the more quickly your project can likely be completed.

4. Are You a True Local Company?

When you type in “water damage restoration company near me,” you can’t be sure every result will be a local company. Some companies are national services that farm out jobs. Others have limited locations and will travel a long distance to restore your home. While this doesn’t necessarily disqualify them as a good restoration company, it’s often best to work with a local company that:

  • Knows the area.
  • Understands common natural disasters that occur.
  • Has worked with your neighbors.

CFRS is a trusted, community-focused restoration company committed to providing our Central Florida customers with the finest water damage restoration services in the area.

5. Do You Offer Emergency Services?

You never know when a water disaster will strike your home. Responsiveness is a must-have trait, as water damage so often requires immediate remediation services to prevent further damage. Look for a company that provides round-the-clock water damage restoration services, can arrive quickly, and begin cleanup as soon as possible. No one deserves the stress that comes with having their basement continue to flood through the night!

At CFRS, we feel so strongly about delivering the best water damage restoration services to our customers that we make ourselves available 24/7, every single day of the year. No matter the time of day or night a water disaster occurs at your home, you can count on us to be there as quickly as possible.

6. Do You Work With Most Insurance Companies?

Depending on the amount of damage, restoration fees can be pretty costly. Ask upfront if the company you’re talking to works with your insurance company. It can streamline the process significantly. The best-established restoration companies work with most major insurance carriers.

7. Does Your Restoration Company Have Proper Licenses and Certifications?

First, ask if the company is fully licensed and registered to perform restoration services in Florida. They should also have these industry-standard credentials:

  • IICRC Certification (Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification) – This certification demonstrates knowledge of concepts, terminology, and procedures recognized throughout the restoration industry.
  • Bonding –  This form of insurance is also known as a surety bond. It ensures financial coverage for property loss or damage caused by the company’s actions, not the original water damage, and protects you if the company doesn’t do the work properly.
  • Insurance – This is separate from the bond and provides liability protection and compensation if the contractor for some reason can’t repair or restore your home after the damage. All reputable restoration companies have adequate insurance to cover their operation and employees.
  • EPA Lead-Safe Certification – This confirms the contractor uses certified, EPA-approved renovators and follows lead-safe work practices when working in structures where lead-based paint has been disturbed.
  • Contractors Pollution Liability (CPL) Insurance – This insures you against property damage, bodily injury, and other costs that might result from pollution caused by a contractor’s actions.

Water damage restoration is a complex affair. You deserve the peace of mind that comes with knowing your restoration company is professional and competent. CFRS holds 18 industry certifications that confirm we can handle all types of water, fire, smoke, and mold damage.

8. How Long Will My Restoration Take?

While it’s difficult to give an exact timeline without seeing your home’s damage, a professional, experienced restoration company understands time is crucial when dealing with water damage. Ideally, the flooded area in your home should be dried out within three to five days of the water intrusion occurring. If you wait much longer than that, you could face additional problems like mold and foundation damage. If the water damage restoration company you’re talking to offers 24/7 emergency services, that’s usually a good sign they’ll be able to act fast to protect your home from further damage.

Of course, every homeowner wants their property taken care of as soon as possible. Depending on the type and severity of the damage, it can take weeks or months to restore a property. Once the restoration company knows the kind of damage your home has incurred, they should be able to give you an accurate and realistic estimate and timeline. There’s always the chance there will be delays due to unforeseen circumstances, but a reliable company will keep you apprised of any issues or changes to the schedule.

Once a restoration company has inspected your home’s damage and determine the project’s scope, here’s what typically happens:

  • Temporary protection measures might be taken to guard against further water intrusion and damage. Board-ups and tarps are common methods restoration companies use.
  • Water removal tools like pumps and vacuum units are used to extract up to thousands of gallons of water. This process minimizes the risk of mold growth and can reduce the drying time.
  • Dehumidification and drying are accomplished with venting techniques, industrial humidifiers, and air movers.
  • Cleaning and sanitizing with disinfectant treatments can remove odors. For black water damage, affected belongings may need to be removed completely.
  • Repairs and restoration services like replacing drywall and making foundation repairs can be performed by a qualified contractor.
  • Preventative treatments such as those for mold growth or pest infestations might be applied to preclude future problems.

If there’s something you don’t understand during the restoration process, don’t be afraid to ask questions and get clarity whenever necessary.

Lastly, keep in mind that the equipment used during the water damage restoration process can be quite noisy. Depending on how long the job will take, you, your family, and your pets might want to seek temporary accommodation elsewhere.

9. Can You Provide Me With References and Reviews?

Most reputable water damage restoration companies share positive reviews on their website and social media accounts. Be sure to read the reviews. You can also ask for references who are willing to talk to you about the services they received.

Make Sure You Make The Right Choice in Water Damage Restoration Services

Many homeowners are tempted to handle water damage themselves, particularly if the damage seems to be insignificant. We can’t stress enough how important it is to work with a professional restoration company with the knowledge and tools it takes to perform the work correctly.

Plus, the damage can be far more extensive (and hidden) than you think. There’s often more damage behind the walls and under the floor, than there is on exterior surfaces. A professional can find these hidden sources of damage and help prevent significant structural damage.

Working with the right water damage restoration company can make recovering from water damage a much less stressful affair. The experience and expertise the right company brings to the process are invaluable to your peace of mind and ensures the job will be done efficiently and correctly.

If your Central Florida home has suffered water damage, don’t risk the health of your family and the integrity of your home. Leaving water damage untreated can cause a vast array of problems for you down the road. To ensure your home and family are safe and secure, contact CFRS to locate, assess, and take action to fully restore any damage to your home.

Have more questions about water damage restoration services? We have the answers you’re looking for! We’re Central Florida’s water damage experts, and we have the experience, expertise, and credentials to back it up. Contact CFRS today to get the support you need and deserve.

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