Understanding the Water Damage Restoration Process: A Step-by-Step Breakdown

Dec 13, 2024 | Water Damage

Whether a flood, storm damage, or sewage issues, time is critical in a water emergency. Even minor amounts of water can cause major damage to your Ketchum, ID property. Within minutes, water can start to damage your home’s furniture, flooring, walls, and electronics.

But with the right water damage restoration process from skilled, licensed professionals, the damage can be mitigated and fully mended.

What is Water Damage Restoration?

Water damage restoration is the process of repairing a water-damaged property, restoring the property to its original condition. Water damage restoration assessments and work begin after any necessary water mitigation, which is the process of stopping the immediate flow of water, extracting any excess water, and completely drying out the affected area.

However, the type of water damage will significantly affect the restoration process. Especially in the case of storm debris in a flash flood or the sanitation risks in a sewage main break.

Types of Water Damage

Flood Damage Restoration – A flood can arrive suddenly and forcefully or remain an almost undetectable slow leak that reaches a breaking point in your plumbing. In either case, the damage can mount quickly. From water-logged belongings to structural compromise and mold infiltration, a home flood can cause significant damage if left untreated.

Storm Damage Restoration – Storms are at times unpredictable, terrifying experiences. Fallen trees, compromised roofing, and extensive debris add additional layers to simply addressing water damage in the home. In this case the water damage restoration process also includes securing any structural damage as well as the areas where excess water finds a way to infiltrate.

Sewer Damage Restoration – Whatever the cause, a sewage backup or flow into your home can not only cause significant water damage, but also brings the danger of hazardous toxins and pathogens. With sewage damage restoration, the job includes disinfecting surfaces and removing toxic materials, alongside typical water damage restoration repairs.

Pipe Break Damage Restoration – While beautiful, cold winter weather in Sun Valley can be a frozen recipe for disaster. When the water inside pipes freezes, it expands, often creating enough force to break or split open the plumbing. With nowhere else to go, the released flooding in your home can ruin hardwood floors, carpet, tilework, and more. And Ketchum winters bring ripe conditions for this type of water damage.

What to Do Immediately After Water Damage

While you should never DIY a water restoration project at the risk of inviting a mold infestation down the road, there are a few steps you can take before calling professionals.

If only a small area of your property has been impacted by water, you may be able to mitigate the damage yourself with tools like a large wet/dry vacuum, large fans and even a submersible pump if necessary.

In general it’s a good idea to begin removing water and drying your space even if you need to hire a professional to help restore the damaged area later. However, if the water damage is excessive, and you’re dealing with a true water emergency, you should always call professional help.

Water Damage Restoration from Valley Restoration Serving Ketchum, ID

In emergency water situations, the water needs to be removed from your home as quickly as possible to mitigate as much long-term damage as possible. Valley Restoration utilizes a multi-step water extraction and structural drying plan to contain the water and stop the spread of water damage. Our team will:

  1. Extract the water: We use a variety of water extraction tools to pump standing water out of your home, as well as porous or absorbent materials like carpet and drywall.
  2. Detect any moisture: Throughout the process, our team will inspect your home for moisture, find intrusion points, detect hidden pools of water inside the walls or behind fixtures, and refine our structural drying goals.
  3. Dry the structure: Pumps can’t remove every trace of moisture, so our team of expert technicians will use air circulation tools and HVAC systems to start drying affected studs, furniture, and flooring.
  4. Dehumidify the air: Floods make the air humid, especially in enclosed rooms. We will remove any excess moisture from the air, preventing the chance for mold to take hold.
  5. Monitor the situation: Our team will create a plan to restore your home to safe moisture levels within 72 hours in most circumstances and continue monitoring progress to ensure the job is done right.

Full-Service Disaster Restoration for Over 50 Years

Home disasters can be scary and overwhelming, but you don’t need to face the unknown alone. From the aftermath of a storm to plumbing disasters that get out of control, our water damage restoration experts are here to address the issue and return your home to its previous condition.

At Valley Restoration, we’re here to help you during every stage of recovering and restoring your home after a disaster. Our certified IICRC technicians are committed to providing you with the finest property restoration services possible using the most recent technology and state-of-the-art equipment. When speed is crucial, get an emergency home restoration team at your door as quickly as possible.

Since 1968, we’ve helped families and business owners in the Wood River Valley area take the proper steps to restore their properties and rebuild their lives in the face of disaster. Are you seeking a reliable, full-service disaster recovery service in the Ketchum, Sun Valley, Hailey, and Bellevue, Idaho areas? Contact Valley Restoration today!