What are the Signs My Home Needs Professional Water Removal?

4/7/2020 (Permalink)

Contact SERVPRO for water damage mitigation services.

Water Damage Continues to Get Worse Until it is Professionally Mitigated, Call SERVPRO for Complete Restoration Services for Your Carol Stream Home

There are numerous reasons water winds up on the floor. When a small amount of water loss occurs, mopping or blotting it up is often enough. However, the real issues happen when a slow leak does not get repaired or continues unseen behind a wall. The amount of water that a washing machine or water heater can heap within a home can run easily in the tens of gallons. DIY cleanup efforts can leave moisture behind that causes issues such as loose tiles, deteriorate carpet padding, and encourage mold growth.

Do Any of the Following Apply to Your Water Removal Situation?

When deciding to clean up the water in your Carol Stream home or bring in professional water removal, ask yourself the following questions: 

• Is there any chance the water loss seeped under the floor?
• Does my sheetrock look wet or show signs of buckling?
• Did the water come out from under kitchen or bathroom cabinets?
• Is there any possibility of chemicals or sewage in the water?
• Is the water entering through a damaged roof or window?

If you answered yes to at least one of the above questions, then you need to engage the services of a professional mitigation company like SERVPRO. The certified technicians are available 24/7 to come to your home and handle the restoration from start to finish.

Can You Tell By Looking Where the Water Went?

The biggest problem when water damage occurs is that it migrates rapidly and always goes downward following the path of least resistance. The SERVPRO technicians have extensive training in the handling of water loss, and they know the common areas to find such water. For confirmation, they use an array of moisture detection equipment when they scope a residential property to determine the exact perimeter that needs attention for water extraction. These devices allow the techs to “peer” behind the walls and under floors without the need to remove them.

What are the Signs Hardwood Flooring has Water Damage?

As long as the floorboards are solid hardwood and not composite materials, they may have restoration potential if the water removal and drying process begins rapidly enough. Hardwood boards begin to cup, crown and buckle after they have prolonged exposure to moisture. Unsealed boards tend to fare the worst as they have no protection from the water, while sealed and finished boards have the best potential for restoration as the sealant works to repel moisture for a short time. Some of the typical aspects of restoration services for wood flooring are:

• Beginning water extraction efforts before the boards buckle or warp
• The use of specialized drying methods such as drying mats
• Removal of the boards for in-plant drying; this is sometimes necessary when the subfloor needs water removal and drying.

How Do I Know If Water Seeped Under My Tile Floor?

It depends on whether it is laminate tile or ceramic with grout lines as they have different issues when water damage happens. Laminate or glue-down tiles may lose their grip on the substrate and become loose. Depending on the materials that make up the tiles, they may have the potential for cleaning and reuse. The grout lines around ceramic tile generally have a sealant and often weather water loss incidents better than many other types of flooring. If the seal is old, worn, or nonexistent, because grout is porous, it can create the ideal environment for mold growth. 

How Much Water Damage Will Ruin My Carpet?

In many situations, the loss incurred to a carpet that needs water removal in a Carol Stream home is not from the scale but rather the length of time. Because carpets get made from a host of different fiber-types, the reaction can range from dye bleeding, shrinkage, or disintegration. SERVPRO technicians determine the water type affecting the carpet as well as testing to see what materials the fibers are made of. This attention to detail allows them to choose restoration methods with the best outcome after the water extraction phase of mitigation.

How are SERVPRO Water Removal Methods Different from DIY Efforts?

The standard water damage cleanup scenario in most Carol Stream homes usually means a wet/dry vac and a couple of fans. These tools can work if the water loss involves clean water less than 24-hours old, and it is on the surface only and covers a minimal area. When SERVPRO technicians perform water extraction, they use a variety of resources depending such as: 

• Portable pumps are the standard equipment seen on most jobs
• Rovers are ride-on units that use the weight of the tech to push water out of carpet
• Truck-mounted units get used in cases where there are copious amounts of water or debris is present
• Submersible pumps allow for water removal when the water is greater than two inches in depth

How Long Can I Wait for Water Removal in My Home?

The moment the water damage happened in your Carol Stream home, it began to age. In the first 24 hours, the water poses no threat as long as it does not contain chemicals or sewage. However, after that, it begins to degrade and, after 48 hours, requires handling and disposal as a biohazard. If the water in the home is from something like a washing machine with soapy water or a toilet overflow, do not clean up these types of water loss on your own as coming into contact with these types of water can have skin irritants or biological agents. SERVPRO techs wear protective clothing that allows them to engage with these types of water loss safely.

Don't wait to start water removal efforts in your home, contact SERVPRO of Carol Stream / East Bloomingdale at (630) 830-6236. The technicians stand ready to handle water loss of any size for local properties.

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