Common Water Damage Questions

3/16/2021 (Permalink)

Water damage? Give us a call! We are here to help!

We've been in the water damage restoration business for quite some time now. Here are some of the most common questions we receive out on the job.

How does drying work?

We are trained and IICRC certified and we follow the science of drying.  The basic science is that air movers drive the moisture out of the material and into the air, the dehumidifiers than remove the moisture from the air.  We need both to make it worth.  We use moisture meters to verify that materials are drying and dry.    

Do you have to tear everything out?

That's a common thought, but no. Normally depending on the type of water, we can dry everything in place. It’s much less costly and quicker for you to dry everything in place rather than removing everything than having to have a contractor replace everything.   

If we end up having to do some tear out: we are having trouble drying this area. Normally we are successful. We are going to do a limited amount of removal to speed the drying up and the repairs will be minimal.     

How do I know is drying?

We use moisture meters to determine what is wet and how wet it is.  With the moisture meter we get a reading on unaffected material and that reading tells us what the affected material should be dried down to.  We check daily until the material has reached its goal.   

I'm really worried about mold.

Most people have that fear, probably because it’s really hyped on the news.  Mold cannot set in until after 72 hours of the water loss.  If professional drying begins before 72 hours you risk of mold is minimal.  We are highly trained to avoid mold growth. The good news is you called us right away, professional drying has begun, you have no worries.

How do I know there is not mold in the walls?

Mold is everywhere. There for sure is mold in the walls, on the floor, etc.  We want to avoid is a lot of mold.  My training assures me that there is no new mold growth from this water event.

How much electric does it take to run all this equipment?

You would be surprised how little electric everything draws.  For example, this air mover draws 1.5 amps, this dehumidifier draws 7 amps.  Normally the total additional electric used is under $50.  If you have additional concerns about this, make sure you talk to your adjuster. 

This equipment is too noisy, can I turn it off?

The only way the drying process works is to have all of the air movers and dehumidifiers on.  Turning them off could delay the drying process and it could also cause mold to develop.  You really need to keep everything on so we can get the house dried out.  If you have additional concerns about the noise, make sure to talk to your adjuster.

How much is all of this going to cost?

Charges are based on how much equipment we use and what functions we have to perform so every job is different.  Our charges are approved up front by the insurance company, that's why we can respond so quickly and get started.  When we are done, our invoice will audited by our staff and then the insurance company to insure 100% accuracy. 

Have a question we haven't answered here? Feel free to give us a call 636-583-5200. We're here to help!