Home is not just an accommodation but a place of love, care, and belonging. People love their houses and go to considerable lengths to ensure the level of comfort and functionality in the house. But some times and events can result in damage to the house such as fires, floods, and mold damage. As a homeowner, you can fix many of the minor faults of the house on your own, and you can call a local plumber or electrician to solve the issues. But house damage due to fires, flood, and water accumulation is entirely different and can only be managed by professional restoration companies.
A disaster restoration service is an emergency service that is rendered when a particular house is damaged to a calamity or a disaster. The restoration companies usually are the first to respond to a house that has been badly damaged and needs immediate attention. The restoration companies are licensed by the state and offer different services and play a full part in restoring the house in its original or better look. An expert restoration company offers fire damage restoration, mold remediation services, water damage restoration, storm damage restoration, and cleaning services.
After the safety of the residents is ensured, the first task of a restoration company will be to clean up the mess and try to preserve the undamaged possessions and try to minimize the damage. The home disaster restoration will come up with a plan to efficiently and effectively clean, restore, and rebuild the structure of the house according to the damage done to your property. The untouched or possessions still intact will be removed and kept in a safe location to prevent damage and will be returned after restoration. The steps you need to follow once your house has been damaged due to fire, flood, mold, or water leakage are
- First, call insurance agent who can give you details about the restoration companies that can respond and help you to clean up the mess and initiate the restoration process
- You need to review your insurance policy and clean the house to prevent further damage. Discuss questions with your insurance agent
- When the restoration team comes, you need to walk with them and show them the areas of the house that will need proper attention.
- The supervisor from the restoration team will determine the extent of restoration work required for your house and will give you an estimate for the restoration services. You need to elaborate on the services you want and sign a contract. Most of the insurance claims will cover the cost of cleaning work and not the extravagant restoration that homeowners may look for. If your insurance claim is denied, then you need to pay for the restoration services
- In the weeks after restoration after water damage, you must inspect the areas the restoration team worked to ensure there is no dampness or moisture.
As a homeowner, you are not obligated to employ a restoration company arranged by your insurance company. You can select any restoration company you want according to your needs, but you must make sure that clean-up work is done immediately to prevent further damage to the house. The most crucial aspect of home restoration is the response time from the restoration company, as delays in cleanup and restoring can result in costly repairs, replacements, renovation, and rebuild process. The services that a restoration company offers are water damage restoration, mold remediation, and fire damage restoration.
- Water damage restoration
The water damage in the house can be caused due to different reasons which includes
- Floods
- Leakage of drainage pipes, boilers, and appliances
- Hurricanes, and thunderstorms
- Sewage backup
- Flooding due to firefighting efforts
The restoration company has modern and purposeful equipment at their disposal and will quickly remove the water accumulation. The team will closely monitor the drying process and ensure that the house surface and your possessions are dried thoroughly. There may be different water damage situations, but the restoration process remains the same and includes the following six steps
- Emergency call
- Assessment of damage
- Removal and extraction of water
- Drying and dehumidification process
- Cleaning and disinfecting the area
- Restoration services
- Mold remediation
A roof or plumbing leak, along with the accumulation of water, can easily lead to mold growth. The mold can spread in the house as quickly as two days. Mold accumulation is not only a threat to the structural integrity but can also cause respiratory diseases and skin allergies. The restoration company has equipment that can detect both the visible and hidden mold in the house. Mold grows quickly where there are moisture and dampness. The steps involved in the mold remediation process are
- Mold containment to prevent cross contamination
- Air filtration to capture the tiny mold spores from the air
- Removal of mold and mold infested materials
- Cleaning the household possessions and belonging that includes furniture, curtains, clothing, carpets, and decorative items.
- Restoration will depend on the extent of mold damage and drywalls, and subfloors may be removed and replaced.
- Fire damage restoration
The most devastating damage to the house is done by fire, as it can instantly spread from one place to another and leave everything damaged in its wake. There are other damages associated with fire damage that incudes smoke damage and water accumulation due to the efforts of the firefighting team. A professional restoration company has the necessary training and expertise to manage the fire damage and carry out the restoration services. The team knows how to remove the soot and smoke from the walls, furniture, upholstery, and carpets. The crucial steps in fire damage restoration services are
- Inspection and assessment of fire damaged area
- Roof tarp or board up services if required
- Removal of water and drying of the area affected by water
- Soot and smoke removal from all surfaces
- Cleaning and repair process which involves removing bad odors
- Removal of drywall and restoration services such as repainting, replacing drywall, and buying new carpet
