Water Damage Restoration FAQs In Houston
Houston homes face many risks of serious water damage: storm-related flooding from the bayous, a broken water line from the street, an appliance failure. Quick and effective action is needed to avoid additional damage and the threat of mold. In serious cases, the water damage can lead to structural issues in the home.
Many processes (and terms) can be used to describe fixing up the home after the disaster. Two separate phases are involved in water damage restoration. Step one is water extraction and cleanup; step 2 is any structural repairs to building features: roof, walls, ceiling, flooring.
Water Damage Restoration in Houston
What Is Water Remediation?
After a water intrusion, remediation refers to the process of cleaning up, drying out, sanitizing, and restoring (or rebuilding) materials. Water damage includes all the various possible losses caused by water: rotten wood, mold growth, bacteria growth, rusty metals, swelling of composite woods, delamination of materials (like plywood/). Water damage restoration encompasses a broader category of repairs than just water damage cleanup.
What Are the Classes and Categories?
So after the flow of water has been stopped, but before the cleanup begins, the team conducts an inspection to determine the class of water damage and the category of water. The extent of the damage is described in four classes, with Class four damage the most extensive.
The level of contamination determines the category. To identify the risk of illness, the industry rates the source from 1-3. Category one means that the water comes from a clean source, like a water fountain. Water from the washing machine or the dishwasher is “gray water.” This is category two and means that the water has detergents and other potentially hazardous substances.
Category three is the most dangerous; water comes from a dirty source: sewer system, toilet with feces, flood waters with debris. The remediation team will need to wear personal safety gear on site to prevent further contamination. Again, act fast since the situation can degrade over time. After 48 hours, a category 1 site might turn into a category 3 site.
What Affects The Restoration Cost?
The only answer is “it depends.” A simple remediation to fix the damage caused by an overflowing sink might cost several hundred dollars. If a sewer backs up and floods the finished basement, the black water extraction, dry out, cleanup, and restoration will run many tens of thousands of dollars.
The factors that affect your cost are: amount of water, category of water, how long the home had standing water, materials affected, what floor was affected (attic, basement), time of year/ weather, and more.
“Cosmetic repairs” are the least expensive to repair of the different damage types. This includes replacing wallpaper, repainting, or repairing small areas of damaged floors. None of this damage will affect the structure of the building.
If the flood was severe, structural damage impacting the home’s integrity might have occurred. Imagine how warping of the wood studs off the walls, or cracks in the foundation could impact the stability of the building. Again, this damage depends on many factors and can range from easy to repair to extremely expensive.
In addition to repairing all the cosmetic damage, electrical repairs must be dealt with before anything else. For safety’s sake, if electrical damage is discovered during cosmetic work, all work stops until the electric damage is repaired.
What About Mold?
If water has entered your home from a flood or a leak, there is always the chance for mold growth from increased moisture, low light, and poor ventilation. Deal with water damage immediately to lessen the chance of mold growth since mold remediation is the most costly repair type. The team might need to remove additional material or cleaning of all affected surfaces.
Because airborne mold spores spread easily, controlling ventilation and using air scrubbers can help. When you call 24/7 Restoration Specialists will be on the lookout and will inspect for signs of mold growth to ensure nothing has been overlooked.
Houston Water Damage Restoration Experts
When you have questions about water damage and restoration, call your local experts. For quick, courteous, professional water damage restoration in Houston, call 24/7 Restoration Specialists. Whether you have the smallest tiny house, or a sprawling mansion, the faster you get a professional team on site, the better your restoration results will be. These water damage restoration technicians will bring the expertise and equipment to restore your home after your disaster.