Minnesota Water Damage Restoration
Water damage is one of the most common homeowner’s insurance claims in the country. Most water damages are caused due to burst pipes, leaky appliances and flooded basements. These unfortunate disasters can turn your world upside down wondering what to do next. These occurrences often lead people to discover the details of their home insurance policies.
Water damage is hazardous to health and dangerous for any home or business, therefore time is of the essence when it occurs. If treated quickly, you can minimize the damage, reduce restoration costs and prevent the growth of mold, and other contaminants.
There are three different categories of water damage:
- Clean Water Damage – Does not contain harmful contaminants. This kind of water damage is most commonly caused from rainwater or pipe bursts.
- Gray Water Damage – Has some level of contamination in the water. This kind of water damage is usually caused from flooding of household appliances such as dishwasher, refrigerator, empty toilet, etc.
- Black Water Damage – Contains contaminants that are harmful if they come in contact with skin or are consumed. This kind of water damage occurs from floods by natural disasters, sewer backups, toilet overflows, etc.
Acting immediately after the emergency can save time and dollars in the restoration work. Damage can begin within minutes of the water intrusion. Therefore, immediate action is important following a water-related disaster or accident. How quickly you take action to begin the water restoration process will determine what and how much can be salvaged. Unwelcome moisture not only ruins carpeting and stains floors, ceilings and walls, but if left uncorrected can diminish the value of the property, which drastically affects financial status.
One of the biggest problems caused due to water damage is molding. Molds are part of a group of micro-organisms called fungi that also include mushrooms and yeasts. Mold formation is the greatest setback most people face when dealing with water damage. Such a kind of water damage is most commonly caused from rainwater or pipe bursts. Thorough drying is important for effective mold removal and prevention.
A restoration company will first perform initial tests to establish the length of time the property has been exposed to water, the amount of moisture that has been absorbed and how deeply the water has penetrated. Then a water damage specialists can immediately place dehumidifiers to dry affected areas and control the environment within the property. Water extraction machines are also carried to allow for the removal of standing water. They can work quickly and efficiently to extract the water as quickly as possible giving you the best possible chance to save fixtures, carpeting and building infrastructure.
Molding due to water damage can spoil possessions and can cause health problems. Some health problems triggered by exposure to mold include allergic reactions such as asthma, non-allergic reactions such as headaches, as well as lung and breathing infections.
However, water damage restoration is available. Restoration can take place in several ways, including water extraction, sewage clean-ups, crawl space drying, structural drying, basement drying, dehumidification, odor control, sanitization, disinfecting, carpet cleaning, debris removal, emergency board-ups and mold remediation.
Hiring A Water Damage Company
When dealing with water damage, calling in professional help is always preferable to attempting do-it-yourself methods. These do-it-yourself methods can be tedious, and the task on hand may not be completed thoroughly. Hiring a fire and water restoration company has many benefits, all of which are to help you return back to your normal routine as quickly as possible. Calling in experts will help you to document and account for the damage, which helps when trying to get compensation through a water damage insurance claim.
When it comes to selecting the right professional water restoration repair service for your needs, it’s important to look at exactly what services each company offers. Some restoration companies will only offer water removal, for example, and others may offer any number of other services, like structural drying, sewage cleanup and backup, digital metering, thermal imaging and more. Some water damage restoration professionals will even offer assistance with insurance claim filing. And without an insurance claim to file, the cost of restoration can be much higher.
