What is involved in professional water damage recovery?

Professional water damage recovery involves an in-depth inspection of the affected house using specialized technology to detect and track hidden moisture inside the structure. Saturated building materials will be evaluated for drying or replacement. Water vapor content in the indoor air is also tracked throughout the process to prevent secondary damage.

What are the safety considerations when assessing water damage?

Safety considerations include the condition of the structure, such as saturated drywall in walls or ceilings that are sagging and may collapse. If electricity is still on, wet rooms may be unsafe due to possible electric shock. An electrician should be called to cut off the power to affected areas.

Where Should I Start in Assessing Water Damage

Q: Where should I start in assessing water damage?

Start by ensuring the source of water has been eliminated or stopped. Determine the source of the water and how far it has spread. Safety must also be taken into consideration. Note the condition of the structure, such as saturated drywall in walls or ceilings that are sagging and may collapse. If electricity is still on, wet rooms may be unsafe due to possible electric shock.

Homeowners Assessing Getting Started Dealing With Home Water Damage

Professional water damage recovery entails an in-depth inspection of the affected house. Since the water you can actually see is only a small part of the damage, professionals conduct the assessment with the help of a variety of specialized technology to detect and track hidden moisture inside the structure. This involves all spaces in the house, including areas usually out of sight like the attic and crawl space.

Saturated building materials will be evaluated, as well, for drying or replacement. Water vapor content in the indoor air is also a factor in secondary damage, so that will be tracked, too, throughout the process of water damage recovery.

As a homeowner faced with the immediate consequences, you can perform a basic water damage assessment of the status quo by taking into account these factors:

Has the source of water been eliminated or stopped? If the damage is due to a ruptured pipe, for example, you need to verify that the water to the house has been shut off at the main valve. If not, and you're unable to do it yourself, a plumber should be summoned immediately.
What is the source of the water? Try to determine if the water is relatively clean Category 1 water, such as would come from a broken water supply line. Category 2 water would include discharge or overflows from washing machines or dishwashers or water seeping in from the outdoors. Category 3 is water inundation from outdoor flooding or raw sewage from a sewer backup into the house and is considered toxic.
How far has the water apparently spread? Water begins migrating deeper into the structure immediately. Note any signs of water damage in other rooms or parts of the house removed from the original flooding or water incursion.
Safety must also be taken into consideration. Note the condition of the structure, such as saturated drywall in walls or ceilings that are sagging and may collapse. If electricity is still on, wet rooms may be unsafe due to possible electric shock. An electrician should be called to cut off the power to affected areas.

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