Water Damage Restoration – Speed Is The Key

There are many different factors to consider in the water damage restoration process. What equipment is being used? How can the remaining moisture be dried out effectively? How will the home be sanitized after water is removed? These are all very important questions. However, the most important consideration in water damage cleanup is the speed with which it is done. The longer floodwater sits in your home, the more time it has to seep into your carpets, walls, and furniture. Given enough time, the water may irreparably damage many parts of your home. Our restoration professionals at Valleywide Restoration in the Gilbert area put speed, along with quality, at the top of their priority list. Here are a few specific reasons why speed is so crucial in the water damage restoration process.

Mold Growth

Mold growth is the number one reason why prompt water damage restoration after a flood is so important. Mold can begin growing as soon as 24-48 hours after the initial flood. It does not take long at all for mold to become a problem after a flood. Mold alone is bad enough. It emits a musty odor that spreads throughout the home and often causes allergy-like symptoms in those who inhale its spores. The young, elderly, and the immune-compromised may develop more serious symptoms as well. However, this is just the beginning of the problems that occur with mold growth. The other reasons listed below, structural damage and pests and insects, are caused or made more serious by mold.

Structural Damage

Serious structural damage to your home after a flood is the worst case scenario. One way that structural damage occurs is from floodwater getting into materials that are not designed to withstand high levels of moisture. Drywall, carpet, and wood are examples of this. If you remove the water right away, then you will likely be able to salvage these parts of your home. If you don’t, however, you may be unable to save them. A second way that structural damage from a flood can occur is through mold growth. Mold that is on the surface of a wall is a hassle, but it isn’t too difficult to clean with professional help. Mold that grows inside your walls is a different story. When this happens, sometimes the only way to remove the mold is to tear down the walls. Mold usually only gets this bad when the cleanup process takes longer than it should.

Pests And Insects

A flooded home is a breeding ground for undesirable pests and insects. Cockroaches, ants, earwigs, and rodents are just a few of the critters attracted to a flooded home. The longer it takes for the cleanup process to begin, the more time these critters will have to settle into your home. Many of them are also attracted to mold so mold growth serves to further intensify the problem.

The moral of the story is: If your home is flooded, don’t wait to get it cleaned up. Get in contact with us at Valleywide Restoration in Gilbert so we can help you restore the home and avoid all the undesirable consequences listed above.