Water extract is a necessary process when your home or business has suffered from water damage or floods. If you see water in your basement or living area, water extraction must be performed immediately to avoid more damage.
No matter the root cause and circumstances, if the water is seeping excessively through your floor, you need to act urgently.
A flood, heavy rains, drainage problem, leaking or burst pipe if you see the water underneath the flooring; you need to understand what to do.
If you contact a restoration company, water extraction should be done quickly using the right professional-grade technologies and following a process. If water extraction is done right, you will avoid further damage and secondary problems, and here is why.
The Definition of Water Extraction
Know who to call. It is probably the best advice.
If you call an emergency plumber, cleaning company, handyman, or restoration company, the results will not be the same. Although minutes count, be clear about what the water extraction process entails.
Always try to question the process of the company you consider to perform the extraction. It is hard to remember that in a highly stressful situation because you just want the problem to be fixed. But in many cases, you may set yourself for more significant issues.
As soon as they are on-site, the team in charge of your problem needs to locate and stop the water damage source while ensuring that the area is safe for the homeowner and the restoration technicians.
Before moving to the water extraction step, the affected area must be safe. Electrical hazards are the most dangerous and need to be considered carefully.
Only if this step is done well will the restoration team move to the next step: Water extraction.
A water extraction removes excess water from the flooring and grounds of your home and property. Typically, emergency plumbers, handymen, or conventional cleaning companies are not equipped or trained to handle that type of job. It requires specific expertise, equipment, and know-how to tackle water extraction.
Think Beyond Water Extraction
The water extraction process’s objective is to decrease the risk of secondary and further consequential damage to your property. It is the first step of a complete process that aims to prevent mold growth, restore air quality, and condition your home or property.
The water extraction process done by a restoration company goes beyond the extraction per sq ft. Restoration companies will treat an area holistically by using:
- Industrial-grade pumps to help remove the water from an area.
- Drying systems to dry surfaces affected by water damage.
- Dehumidifiers to reduce the humidity level.
- Professional carpet vacuum cleaners to extract the residual water, clean, and disinfect the carpeted area.
- Air scrubbers to remove odors and establish a good air quality.
Time to apply good practices is essential here too. If the response should be quick, the restoration company should not leave your home if surfaces are not completely dried, the entire affected area is cleaned and sanitized.
Water Restoration & Water Mitigation
Water extraction and water mitigation are two different things. For water damage, a professional restoration company will extract the water and prevent further damage and loss due to the existing threat to avoid other problems during the restoration process.
The water mitigation process comes after the water extraction process. This is a step with the consideration of isolating the damaged area from the rest of the home or business. Typically, the restoration technicians will remove any content that can be salvaged and extracted the water. Typically, it is a triage of the homeowner’s furniture, equipment, and other personal objects.
Then, once the personal contents are removed from the affected area, technicians will remove the damaged flooring and drywall.
This step must be done with a thought process of taking apart what is necessary to reduce the overall interruption of the home or business.
A lot of preparation is necessary to ensure homeowners’ safety and the crew in charge of the mitigation step. The process also involves cleaning and drying of property and sanitizing it afterward.
This step is essential to avoid long term damage and maintain its structural integrity.
Your Takeaways
No matter the reason for water damage, your immediate reaction is essential. Contact a local restoration near you. If you are a victim of floods, storms, or plumbing issues relative to drain, bursting, or leaking pipe, careful attention must be paid to the entire process.
A restoration company has the equipment, training, and know-how to take care of the extraction, mitigation, and restoration of your property while helping you with your insurance claim.