What is Water Damage Mitigation?

Whether you have a pipe break in your house or business, or whether you've been hit by a flood, it can be a traumatic experience. Water damage to your home or business can be difficult to fix on your own which is why If your property suffers from water damage, you're going to want to find the best water damage mitigation company.

But what exactly is water damage mitigation, and how does this fit into water damage home repair?

The first question you may have is what is the water damage mitigation definition? Water damage mitigation is defined as preventing further water damage from occurring in your home or business. Home and commercial water damage can be devastating, which is why the sooner you start water damage mitigation, the lower the repair cost is likely to be. Of course, there are some instances where the house might be a total loss, so it's important to mitigate the damage early to prevent structural damage.

When we talk about water damage cleanup and mitigation, we are talking about protecting the property that is already there, not repairing or replacing it. That is a later step when it comes to dealing with the flood's aftermath. Mitigation is disaster intervention.

How to Mitigate Water Damage?

Flood damage mitigation strategies include many tasks. In flooding situations, it is often a race against the clock is to prevent further damage. Mitigation can take the form of blocking the water from further entering the home. It also consists of removing the water, so it doesn't damage the building's structure.

Water Mitigation vs. Water Damage Restoration

So, if water mitigation deals with preventing further water damage, what does water damage restoration do? Water damage restoration—when done by a professional water damage restoration service provider—returns water-damaged materials to the state it was in before the water damage happened. As you would expect, this requires repairing and replacing damaged portions of your home or business.

What does Water Damage Mitigation include?

So, now that you know the difference between water damage mitigation and water damage restoration, we should delve deeper into what those really entail. Let's look at water damage mitigation. Common tasks include:

• Boarding up doors and windows to prevent more water from entering the home or business.
• Take action to protect the home's or building's structural stability.
• Pumping out flood water.
• Drying your home and things or business and property out.
• Salvaging items which can be salvaged.
• Removing damaged items.
• Cleaning and disinfecting the salvaged items.

At this point, mitigation is about preventing more damage. Once the threat to your home is mitigated, and the danger of more flooding has passed, the next step is water damage restoration.

Common Water Damage that Requires Mitigation

When most people think of water damage, they tend to think of big, catastrophic weather events such as hurricanes, tornadoes, and flooding caused by torrential rainfalls. While this certainly does happen, a more common source of water damage Rytech’s technicians help mitigate is already in your home and business: plumbing and appliances. It's fairly common to have severe water damage that can come from:

• Clogged toilets
• Old clothes washing machine and dishwasher hoses
• Dishwasher and clothes washing machine leakage
• Clothes washing machine overflows
• Broken pipes
• Damaged/ corroded water pipe fittings
• Blocked pipes
• Groundwater seepage
• Leaking roof
• Leaking door or window weatherstripping
• Extinguishing fires

When thinking about weather-related damage, you can see flooding from:

• Severe storms
• Hail damage combined with rain
• Tornadoes
• Hurricanes
• Flash floods
• River/ stream flooding
• Broken plumbing caused by frozen pipes
• Broken dams/ lake or reservoir overflows

According to Forbes Advisor, in 2019 the average payout by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) was $52,000 per incident. This shows how serious water damage can be and how expensive and extensive water damage cleanup can be.

Why is it Important to have a Water Mitigation Plan?

It's important to have a water damage mitigation plan because if your home or business floods, you will be able to respond faster than you would without a plan. When it comes to water damage mitigation, a fast response is the best way to minimize damage. The plan is your go-to set of instructions for handling the eventuality of flooding or water leak, whether due to accidents or weather. Because flooding is often the most common and most expensive damage your property may see, coming up with a plan when the flooding occurs is unlikely to provide the correct rapid response in the water damage mitigation process.

So, what should your water damage mitigation plan include? It depends on whether you are a homeowner, an apartment dweller, or an owner of a business or commercial property. But, here are some basic considerations Rytech’s experienced water damage technicians suggest:

1. Identify who is in charge of handling the water damage mitigation. That would be the homeowner, the landlord, the business owner, or property manager. This is the person who should have a water mitigation plan.
2. Identify the water damage cleanup companies, like Rytech Restoration, in your area who are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. This is important because water damage doesn't always occur during daylight or business hours. You'll need a company that can both mitigate and repair water damage. Be sure the person in charge has the numbers as well as anyone who might be responsible for buildings who report to them.
3. Plan how you're going to detect water intrusion. A schedule for visually inspecting hoses, plumbing and fittings? Automatic leak and water detection systems? Whatever you use, be sure to document any inspections and any abnormalities.
4. Identify and label all shut-off valves, circuit breakers, and any equipment or plumbing that may need to be used or identified. Be sure everyone in the structure knows where the important valves, switches, and equipment are.
5. Create an emergency plan for flooding. This would include things like shutting off the electrical circuits in the flooded areas, shutting off the main water valve, and removing items you can’t live without that may be damaged by water.
6. Train occupants to avoid dangerous situations such as entering rooms without shutting off power, entering gray water or water that comes from sewage (known as black water), and other hazards.
7. Have emergency DIY leak, pipe, and hose repair kits on hand for each building so that anyone can use them to fix possible leaks. Be sure everyone knows where they are and how to use them.

The Water Mitigation Process

Once someone discovers a leak or flooding inside a home or business, there are certain steps you or water damage cleanup professionals like Rytech must take in the water damage cleanup process. Without taking these steps, you're likely to have greater damage.

Fast Response

First, you need to have a quick response if you're going to avoid more damage to your home or commercial building. Consult your water mitigation plan first and enact the emergency plan to keep people from getting injured and important equipment and documents from getting damaged. Then, contact Rytech, your water damage mitigation services company, to get the water mitigation process started by inspecting your property. Insurers prefer Rytech Restoration’s water damage services due to our networks ability to respond quickly. Without proper mitigation, catastrophic damage could result.

Assess The Damage

You'll need to assess the damage to your building. That may require taking photos of the water damage and the items affected. Make a list of all the contents involved in the flooding and whether they’re salvageable. As a leading water damage cleanup company, Rytech certified technicians will help you determine what is irreparably damaged and what can be saved. They will also provide an assessment of whether there’s severe structural damage to the building.

Remove Standing Water

The first step in the water damage remediation process is to remove standing water. This can be done with commercial-grade wet/dry vacuums or pumps, depending on how much water has pooled in your home or business. Removing the water is the first step in Rytech’s water damage restoration process. Once you have the water removed, the next step will be to dry out your contents and structure.

Dry Out Structure

At this stage, Rytech’s water damage restoration technicians remove carpet, drywall, subflooring, and other compromised and damaged portions of the room. Then, they’ll disinfect the areas and place industrial-sized fans, air movers, and dehumidifiers to dry out the area. Depending on the scope of the damage, it could days to a week or more to dry out the area.  Your Rytech Restoration will arrive daily to monitor your job.

Cleanup and Decontamination

Cleanup consists of removing damaged property as well as carpet, flooring, subflooring, drywall, and other parts of the building that needs to be replaced. Property that can be saved will be cleaned and disinfected.

Preventing Mold After Water Damage

After your home or business has experienced water damage, there’s a chance that mold will grow if the areas affected aren't properly dried and treated to prevent mold growth. Rytech’s water damage technicians use industrial water damage restoration equipment with HEPA filters to vacuum up mold spores. Your technicians will then apply special disinfectants that prevent mold from growing. If water damage is not addresses and black mold has spread in your property, professional mold removal services are required to efficiently and safely remove mold from your poproperty.

Need Water Mitigation at your Home or Business?

Experiencing business or home water damage? You may need to find a professional who can help you with water damage mitigation to minimize the damage and recovery costs.

When to Call A Professional

Sometimes it's hard to know when to call Rytech’s restoration pros. If you have flooding or a leak that soaks the carpet or flooring, it's a good time to call your local Rytech.  It’s best to get the damage mitigated projects started as soon as possible if you've noticed water coming in from the ceiling or down the walls. Anything that looks like you need more than a quick mop up means it’ time to call the professionals at Rytech.  There may be hidden damage beneath what looks like just a little standing water or a stain.

How to Choose Water Damage Mitigation Companies

Flood damage is scary when it’s your home or business. How do you decide whom to trust your property to? Look for a professional disaster restoration company like Rytech that has a great local reputation and national support to get the job done right. Choose a company that is bonded and insured, and that is licensed and can provide a copy of their state licensing and water damage restoration certification. Water damage technicians should be IICRC certified and trained professionals. The business should be available 24 hours a day/seven days a week/365 days a year to ensure convenient service and fast recovery. Consider working with a water restoration company like Rytech that offer free phone consultations and can arrive same day to start damage mitigation and repairs.

Call Rytech Restoration

If you need water mitigation for your home or business, trust Rytech Restoration’s national network of water damage professional mitigation companies. We're licensed in water damage restoration and will work with your water damage insurance claim to provide the very best service. Contact us today for a free consultation.