Water & Flood Damage

What to Expect With Home Water Damage

When water enters the home it can be a harrowing experience. There’s the immediate safety concerns of possible electrocution and bacteria exposure followed by the levity of dealing with property damage and the loss of priceless keepsake measures. All of these issues must be managed before a homeowner even entertains the process of cleaning up the water and moving on with life.

There’s no two ways around it, water damage is unfortunate. That being said, your home can rebound nicely from flooding with the help of Four Seasons Restoration. In order to understand the steps that you’ll be facing, it’s important to recognize the four stages of water infiltration.

Phase 1 : The Introduction of Water

Whether it be a torrential downpour or the bursting of pipes in the home, the first stage in a flooded room is the introduction of water. While water damage can happen in virtually any area of the home, the most common destination is in the basement, which is below grade. Water will seep in through windows or cracks in the foundation and is especially profound when downspouts aren’t directed at least three feet of the house and the soil around the basement isn’t sloped down away from the house. The quicker a homeowner can identify and put an abrupt stop to the leaks the less expansive the damage.

Phase 2: Absorption

One of the main reasons for fast removal of water that has entered the home is to minimize the damage from absorption. The longer water is left to sit the more it will soak into drywall, floors, furniture, etc. It’s important to contact Four Seasons Restoration as soon as possible so we can begin the sometimes tedious water extraction process immediately. The quicker we get the water out the sooner the room(s) can begin drying.

Phase 3: Humidity Damage

It’s important to note that removing the free-standing water is only a part of the remediation process. The advent of water, especially in a cool, damp area like a basement can start to lead to humidity damage. The moisture starts to evaporate which clings into the air in the room. In turn this condensation starts forming high up on walls, in ceiling tiles, or on paperwork that had no actual contact with the water. Four Seasons Restoration again jumps into action with our extra-capacity dehumidifiers that drain the moisture from the air and prevent even more costly repairs.

Phase 4: Mold Growth

Mold can grow in a basement or any area exposed to moisture at any time but that threat is exasperated by the house taking on water. Mold is an eyesore that actually makes one’s eyes sore because of allergen properties. Attacking mold and mildew early is important because if left to harvest the spores will spread. Our approach to mitigating the mold includes drying the wet areas and taking the moisture out of the air. In some situations areas of heavy mold growth need to be removed, most often carpet or drywall but our main goal is to always attempt to recover before replacing. An important thing about mold and mildew is confinement because the microbial growth will spread if not tended to.

Our Water Damage Repair Goals

At first items that have been exposed to water seem almost irreparable but our first goal is always to salvage your personal affects. Of course if you were going to remodel anyway a full replacement is always the most effective way to recover from water damage but that’s not saying there isn’t options. With our arsenal of air movers, dehumidifiers, and cleaning equipment we can perform minor miracles on water-soaked items.