Minnesota Water Damage Restoration
Water Damage Restoration MN If there was a flood or major pinhole leak or broken water pipe in your home, it is likely that in addition to the water damage to the floors, the walls have been affected, too. There are instances when the water damage to the walls is apparent but oftentimes, the damage is unseen and cannot be easily detected by the average homeowner. If the flood or leak entered a room from the ground level, the floor including the carpeting, if there is any, will be covered by water which will then start to create vertical wicking in the walls. The degree of this reaction will rely on several factors such as the amount of water and how high the water level reached on the wall as well as the wall construction. Drywall is very absorbent because its core is made of gypsum and both of its sides are made of a type of paper similar to a cardboard. Because of its porosity, you can expect water to wick up on a drywall to more than two feet. Both sides of the drywall will be wet but the inside part will contain more water for the simple reason that water would not quickly evaporate from that side. Very often, signs of moisture from the inside of the wall are not visible. For a professional trained in water damage restoration, the process of restoring wet walls starts with finding out how badly the walls are damaged. There is a wide range of professional metering devices that can be used by a restoration expert to help assess water damage. Noninvasive devices are among those widely-used by experts such as a moisture meter that checks for moisture in the wall using radio waves and an infrared (IR) imaging camera that also detects moisture since a damp wall would be cooler than a dry wall. These devices are noninvasive because there is no need to create holes or do anything with the wall material. A professional water damage restoration contractor will select the structural drying equipment in a scientific method based on materials, size of the water damage area, and the class and category of the water damage. After the restoration expert has identified which walls have been water damaged, the drying process will begin aided by several types drying equipment. If the wall has no insulation, drying can be done without having to remove the baseboard or making holes in the wall. The restoration expert will use equipment called air movers to remove the molecules of water from the wall surface and allow the water to evaporate quickly. An air mover will be positioned along the wet wall for, approximately, every ten linear feet. During this process, more water is drawn to the surface of the wall as moisture evaporates from that particular surface. Another important and state-of-the art device used by water damage restoration professionals is a dehumidifier, which is installed to reduce the level of humidity in the walls and help stop the formation of mold. More than one dehumidifier may be used as necessary. A special drying system for the inner walls can also be used if the restoration expert sees it appropriate. This system involves directing air to enter the wall cavity above the sill plate by creating holes in this area. According to studies, this is the quickest and most effective way of drying water-damaged walls. In some instances, the inside or outside wall has some material or coating over it that acts like a barrier that restricts the movement of moisture in the...
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Flood Damage Repair MN | Water Damage Restoration MN The aftermath of a water damage problem is not the time to discover what is and is not covered in your homeowners’ insurance policy. Too many people wake up to a flood, call their providers, and are politely told that they are on their own. Insurance, as it applies to water damage, is a tricky situation. It becomes of utmost importance for homeowners to learn and understand their insurance plans, knowing what is covered, what isn’t, and making the appropriate adjustments. This is the only way to avoid being caught unawares when that upstairs pipe breaks or the local dam gives way. A Minnesota Water Damage Restoration Expert has both the skill and the experience that allows us to work directly with your homeowners’ insurance provider or claims adjuster. This not only spares you, the homeowner from the headaches that always seem to go along with handling insurance matters, but gives you the peace of mind knowing they have done it many times before and that they will do the legwork for you, submitting your claim, and doing whatever is necessary to make sure that claim is properly processed and resolved. Many homeowners mistakenly believe that flooding is covered by your homeowners’ policy. It isn’t. Flood coverage may be available for an additional premium, but it depends on the provider, whether or not your home is located in an area prone to flooding, and other factors. Many flood prone communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), established by the Federal government to provide flood insurance coverage, as well as working with communities in high risk areas to take the proper steps to protect their residents from the flooding threat. People often overlook the importance of flooding protection, believing that they will simply get Federal disaster relief if their home is damaged by flood waters. While this may be true, it is predicated on whether or not the community is declared a disaster area, and even then, disaster relief often comes in the form of low interest loans that must be paid back, along with whatever the current mortgage payment is on the property. By having adequate flood insurance coverage, you are simply responsible for the premium, and will not have to deal with the added burden of a substantial new monthly payment following the restoration of your home. In other cases of water damage, coverage may not exist, or may be denied if the damage can in any way be traced back to negligence on the part of the property owner. If your roof gets damaged in a storm, that may be covered, but if the roof was damaged in a storm because it was not properly maintained, then coverage will be denied. Coverage may also be denied if you wait too long to file your claim. Some companies will deny water damage coverage if the damage is more than 48 hours old. In every way, timing is important in the wake of water damage. Water Damage | Water Damage Insurance Water damage cleanup, repair and restoration can be a costly operation, and surely you’d want to receive financial help from your home insurance policy. In fact, water damage is one of the top reasons why most home insurance plan holders make claims. Unfortunately, home insurance tends to be tricky when it comes to water damage, which is why many people have had negative experiences when claiming insurance benefits for their water damaged house. The biggest challenge in making a water damage insurance claim lies in determining whether...
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Water Damage Insurance Claim | Insurance Restoration MN You’ve just returned to your home after vacation to find a flooded basement, perhaps due to a sewer or septic backup or broken water pipe and realize that in order to be able to get your life back on track you will have to have your house repaired. Or perhaps a drain clog caused the water in your sink to back up and overflow, and now your kitchen is a virtual swimming pool, right inside the house. What to do? Look for and bring out that homeowner’s insurance policy because you will have to file an insurance claim for water damage. Water Damage Insurance Claims The aftermath of a water damage event is not the time to discover what is and is not covered in your homeowners’ insurance policy. Too many people wake up to a flood, call their providers, and are politely told that they are on their own. Insurance, as it applies to water damage, is a tricky situation. It becomes of utmost importance for homeowners to learn and understand their insurance plans, knowing what is covered, what isn’t, and making the appropriate adjustments. This is the only way to avoid being caught unawares when that upstairs pipe bursts or the local dam gives way. Find out if your insurance will pay for water damage. Filing a Damage Claim For Water Damage Your responsibilities, as outlined in most residential property insurance policies, include, but are not limited to: • Give prompt written notice to the insurer of the facts relating to the claim • Protect the property from further damage • Make reasonable and necessary repairs to protect the property • Keep an accurate record of repair expenses Your actions should include, whenever possible: • Stop the water leak/flow • Remove standing water and begin drying the area • Photograph the damaged property • Remove water soaked materials • Keep removed materials and move them to a secure, dry and well-ventilated area, or outdoors • Protect repairable and undamaged items from further damage • Keep an activity log, including a record of all contact with your insurance company • Keep all receipts • Don’t throw away removed or damaged materials until instructed by your insurance company • Don’t jeopardize your safety • Don’t make large structural or permanent repairs • Don’t exceed personal capabilities By following these guidelines, you’ll be well on your way to properly taking care of any water damage situation in your home. Creating a Home Inventory Creating a home inventory is one of the most important steps you can take in order to make sure you are adequately insured–and it can make filing a claim in the event of a disaster much easier as well. Now comes the hard but necessary part – computing the damage costs. You’re probably at a loss, and don’t know where to start and how to do it. Here we’ll show you how and what to do step by step. Call the Insurance Company The first thing you’ve got to do is call your insurance company to inform them that you’re going to file a claim. Make Temporary Repairs Next, try to prevent further water damage from occurring by making temporary repairs. Make sure you keep the receipts for any repair work done, as payments for temporary repairs will be among those costs you will file for. What is important is that you’re able to arrest any water damage from further destroying your house. If you need to relocate, bring the receipts with you. If there are any wet areas...
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Water Damage Restoration Is A Job For The Professionals Water damage restoration is not a simple process. It involves many stages using high powered machinery and expert knowledge so as not to cause further damage. Water damage cleanup has become a bona-fide science. What used to consist of a contractor setting up a few fans in a flooded basement has now become a bona-fide science, largely in part to the greater understanding we now have of the serious negative health repercussions that can be caused by mold, mildew, and bacteria growth, and the better technologies available to tackle a water restoration job. Water damage cleanup or water damage restoration is so advanced that they have developed a word for the process and science of drying; Psychometry Psychometry Definition: the science and practice associated with atmospheric air mixtures and water vapor, their evaluation, control and effect on materials. A professional water damage restoration contractor will use these innovative methods for water extraction and removal that involves drying of carpets, rugs, mats, floors and walls to deodorizing and disinfecting effect that restores your damaged areas. Water Removal Equipment Moisture detectors, hygrometers and other meters measure the extent of moisture saturation. Infrared camera may be used to identify water location for thorough water removal. Submersible and commercial grade pumps for continuous pumping of high-level water. Truck mounted and portable extraction units perform efficient water removal. Sanitizing Agents, Germicides, & Anti-Microbial Treatments Deodorization products control odors from excessive moisture. Disinfection products stop the growth of bacteria, fungi, mildew, and other harmful microorganisms. State-of-the-Art Drying Equipment Drying equipment helps prevent property water damage like swelling and warping of floors, walls and furniture. Industrial grade dehumidifiers minimize secondary water damage. High-speed air movers create airflow across walls, carpets, pads and furniture, evaporating moisture. Some situations call for special drying techniques that require other state of the art equipment and training. Initial scoping needs to be done to determine how extensive the water damage is. Water always seeks equilibrium with its environment and wet always goes to dry, if it can. Just finding the extent of water damage on the floor isn’t enough. The water damage needs to be mapped to determine how far up the walls it has wicked, and how far down into the substrate the water damage has gone, including possibly entering the crawlspace in a conventional foundation. This can’t be done by touch. Very specialized water damage inspection tools and meters will be required, and an experienced water damage professional has them. A thorough understanding of water damage demands every water damage contractor be familiar with the “science of drying” also called psychrometry. Ask your water damage contractor what the dry standard is of each structural component suffering potential water damage. With proper water damage inspection tools and water damage experience, he should be able to tell you on a scale of 100 points the moisture content of the water damaged materials. If he can’t, call a different water damage restoration professional. Make sure your water damage restoration contractor draws a “moisture map” of the affected areas showing the full extent of the water damage migration, and that he updates the map regularly to show the progress of the water damage/structural drying project. A professional water damage restoration contractor should select the structural drying equipment in a scientific method based on materials, size of the water damage area, and the class and category of the water damage. Minnesota homeowners, property managers, building owners, and churches suffering the effects of ANY kind of water damage, cleaning needs to be done right to avoid further damage. At the...
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Water Damage Repair and Restoration Minneapolis Years ago water damage restoration was really primitive compared to how it is done today. To say an industry has come a long way is an understatement. After years of careful analysis, today’s drying techniques are based on objective factors like: building size, type and amount of moisture present and materials involved. Precise instruments are used to measure the drying progress so that the technician is sure all moisture has been removed. There are a variety of equipment and solutions available to the contractor to remove water. A professional water damage restoration contractor should select the structural drying equipment in a scientific method based on materials, size of the water damage area, and the class and category of the water damage. Water Damage Is Classified by Category and Class of Damage: Category The Category of the water loss is based on the waters point of origin: CATEGORY 1 – Originates from a source that does not pose a substantial harm to humans. (Water from faucet, garden hose, water heater, water supply line etc.) CATEGORY 2 – Contains an elevated level of contamination and has potential to cause discomfort or sickness if consumed by or exposed to humans. (Water from dishwasher, washing machine, laundry tub, water softener etc.) CATEGORY 3 – Contains pathogenic (disease causing) agents and is grossly unsanitary.”Black water” includes sewage and other contaminated water sources entering or affecting the indoor environment. (Water from drains, rivers, lakes, oceans etc.) If Category 2 water is not removed promptly from the structure, it may be reclassified as Category 3. CLASS The Class of the water loss is based on the size and items affected: CLASS 1 – Slow rate of evaporation – (Least amount of water) Water losses that could affect only part of a room or area; or even large losses containing low permeability/porosity materials (e.g. plywood, particle board, structural wood, VCT, concrete.) Little or no wet carpet and/or cushion is present. Minimum amount of moisture can be held in the remaining structural materials. CLASS 2 -Fast rate of evaporation – (More water than class 1) Water losses that affect the entire room of “carpet and pad.” Water has wicked up the walls as much as 24 inches. There is moisture remaining in structural materials (e.g. plywood, particle board, structural wood, VCT, concrete.) Due to the amount of water held in dirt or mud, Crawl spaces in most circumstances, will also fit under Class 2. CLASS 3 – Fastest rate of evaporation – (Most amount of water) Water may have come from overhead. Everything is wet. Must have carpet and pad. Ceilings, walls, insulation, carpet, cushion, and sub floor in virtually the entire area are saturated. CLASS 4 – Specialty Drying Situation- (Same amount of water as a Class 1 ) These losses involve wet materials with very low permeability/porosity ( e.g. hardwoods, sub floor, plaster, brick, concrete, stone ) Class 4 differs from a Class 1 due to the deep pockets of saturation that require the use of a desiccant or low grain dehumidifier to achieve the low specific humidity. Even then, the Class 4 drying job will take longer to dry than a typical Class 1. Specialized Training When you are evaluating a water damage professional, it is best to look for a company that has the following: 1- Certification and training from an independent body like the IICRC. These individuals have been exposed to the basic and in some cases advanced methods of structural drying. They have attended several specialty drying schools where we were certified by the IICRC –...
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