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1. Inspection and Assesment
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4. Drying : Air - Movement
2. Water/Flood Extraction
5. Drying: De-Humidifying
3. Anti - Microbial Application
6. Drying: Monitoring
We Specialize in water damage restoration for homes and businesses
The most important point to understand is that the steps in the process are not always linear, meaning they do not always happen in order. For example, if a floor is flooded with several inches of water, the carpet might be removed before any extraction takes place, or after some drying has already occurred.
Once a flood or water leak occurs, it is necessary to begin the steps in the process immediately in order to minimize the damage. Any necessary steps to tear out damaged parts of a property and clean those that are salvageable will be taken as part of this step. In fact, the first step is often pulling up carpet or taking out furniture in order to get better access to the infested area. This can also include removing drywall, insulation, and even baseboards.
Water Removal and Extraction is the process in which the bulk of the work is done, and also where much of the water damage restoration cost occurs. It will be necessary to completely dry out all building materials that have been affected by flooding. Not only will this include items such as insulation and carpeting that can easily absorb large quantities of water, but it may also include furniture and appliances that have been damaged. We use state of the art exclusive equipment to take out all of the major water damage on site! Our professionals will carefully extract the water/flood damage to the highest standard to prepare for the next step.
1. Inspection and assesment
the Inspection of the property is necessary to survey the extent of the damage. It also helps determine priorities and an action plan for repair of various parts or all of the area of damage. Our professionals will look at adjoining rooms that are not damaged, but might have been exposed to unsanitary conditions as a result of the water damage.
The overall goal of the inspection process is to determine how much, if any, restoration is needed and what needs to be repaired or replaced. The first step in the inspection process is for the inspector to document and photo-document everything they see. A detailed record should be kept of all wet areas and, especially, the moisture meter readings.
This is an initial inspection only. Our professionals will not remove any covering or take any action to disrupt what has been "damaged". If further work needs to be done, another inspection should be conducted to verify that all areas have been dried completely and cleaned properly. This entails more than just drying out the walls and floor. It means that all materials in the area need to be thoroughly sanitized, cleaned, deodorized, etc.
Our inspector will look for mold growth within hidden cavities of the structure. An infrared camera may be used to locate hot spots indicative of possible bacterial growth behind walls or ceilings. Ultrasound devices could also be used to find moist areas deep within building materials.
Once the inspector has completed an initial inspection, we will work with you to develop a plan for repairs and reparations. Service pro will submit this plan to our engineering department. This engineering section is responsible for evaluating every aspect of the damage area including, but not limited to, structural components.
There are many different methods of using biocides for water damage restoration, while following IICRC Guidelines. A big misunderstanding about antimicrobial solutions is that they just kill microorganisms, however, biocides are a special type of antimicrobial solution that inhibit the growth of microbes and have a very low concentration of disinfectant. Disinfectants kill organisms by destroying the cell wall or denaturing proteins within the microorganisms.
Antimicrobials inhibit microbial growth and do not necessarily need to contain a disinfectant.
Disinfectants can be used in different ways for water damage restoration: 1) to kill existing mold (fungicide), 2) to prevent existing mold growth (biocide), and 3) to prevent future mold growth after a “wet-dry” cycle.
To kill existing mold, biocide is used with a fogger device that mixes the solution within the air so it can settle onto surfaces or directly onto an open body of water where there is active fungal growth. A wet/dry vacuum is used to extract the dead mold once the antimicrobial solution has dried. It is important that if you are using biocide, you need only a small amount (about 0.25% by volume) because too much can be toxic to humans, plants, pets and other living organisms. To prevent future mold growth after a wet/dry cycle, the antimicrobial of your choice is best applied with a spray bottle directly onto surfaces that are accessible.
We will also work with any smells that might linger, restoring your home or business to the way it was originally, before the disaster.
2. Water/Flood Extraction
3. Anti-Microbial application
4. drying: air movements
Industrial fans can be used to de-humidify moisture and humidity from the air by way of a fan blowing the moist air over cold surfaces, such as with coils or fins. This is because cold surfaces can absorb or extract heat energy from nearby fluids (i.e. water). In turn, the nearby water will lose its energy by way of heating or evaporation, which leads to a relative decrease in its ability to hold water - the final product is moisture with less energy. This is called indirect evaporative cooling .
Our professionals will use the best tools in the industry to give you the best possible outcome. By combining the know-how of over 30 years of experience and using the highest technology available on the market today, we can help you restore your home or business to the way it was originally.
The key is to install the fans correctly and ensure that they will force the water vapor out of the damaged area for the best outcome, while using the strongest tools to speed up the process. You can trust Service Pro to efficiently dry out the areas in no time!
5.Drying: De-humidifying
6. Drying: monitoring
There are several different types of dehumidifiers, including refrigerant, desiccant , and fan-assisted units. In refrigerant dehumidifiers, a fan draws moist air into the device as it passes through a heat exchanger where it is cooled down. The condensation that forms on the surface of the heat exchanger is removed by a drainage system and either disposed or recycled back to the unit. Desiccant dehumidifiers use a highly porous substance, called a desiccant material, which absorbs moisture. Some types of desiccant dehumidifiers use silica gel or zeolite as the desiccant material. Other types of desiccant dehumidifiers use salts as the desiccant.
There are also portable plug-in units that are similar to refrigerant units, without the heat exchanger and drainage system. However, it is important to place them in an area where they can be unplugged if there is a power outage as this type of dehumidifier will quickly cause mold and mildew growth if left on when water levels are already high.
A fan-assisted dehumidifier uses fans to increase the rate of evaporation within the unit. This type of dehumidifier requires no special installation, as it can be placed on any flat surface . It consists primarily of an air filter and containment bucket, which catches the water as it condenses . The fan blows air through the filter, which in turn filters out unwanted contaminants like dust or dirt. As the water builds up within the containment bucket, an automatic shut-off system triggers, stopping further transfer of moisture to prevent overflow. We use only the highest quality tools when it comes to the de-humidifying step to ensure you won't have any re-occuring damages down the road in the future!
After a disaster, it's important to monitor your home or business business for wet spots and possible mold growth. The water damage restoration professionals at Service Pro are here after the restoration process to make sure there aren't any underlying damages that can affect your home or business in the future!
Water damage is not something that should be taken lightly. Without proper action, it can lead to permanent damage, which can hurt productivity and even halt operations. As the most important part of restoring your business back to normal, monitoring is not something that should be neglected.
After the water damage has been removed from the property, we will keep in contact and come back after a certain amount of time to make sure the restoration process was effectively executed! We have been in business for more than 30 years, reach out to us and see why thousands of families have trusted our professionalism and expertise to help with their water damage!
