When water enters your Lakewood home or business, the time element begins immediately. Whether from a broken water pipe, a rainstorm, an appliance failure, or a sewage issue, once water is present, it spreads rapidly and can compromise the building materials that support the building’s structure.
Many owners will try to complete the cleanup process on their own; however, most of the time, they do not take into consideration the hidden moisture and long-term risks related to the water damage. Even though the surface drying may look complete, when you use a professional Water Damage Cleanup Company in Lakewood to assist you with the cleanup, you will see that a certified restoration company will provide you with better, faster, and safer cleanup results than a DIY cleanup.
This article will provide you with insight as to why certified restoration professionals will provide better results than if you completed the cleanup by yourself, and how utilizing a certified restoration professional will protect your property, your health, and your financial investment.
What Is the Reality of Water Damage in Lakewood?
Lakewood is at risk for water intrusion into buildings because of the high frequency and severity of seasonal thunderstorms and the potential for plumbing failure due to children’s activities or other sources. Water can invade your building in small amounts; however, it can travel through walls and insulation and saturate the subfloor of your building in a matter of hours.
If you do not use a professional Water Damage Cleanup in Lakewood immediately after an interior water intrusion, you are at risk of having trapped water cause the structural framing of your building to weaken, drywall to decay, and moldy conditions to occur within 24–48 hours. A minor amount of water on the surface could turn into a large expense by damaging your property through major repairs.
Thus, you must understand the differences between certified restoration services and DIY cleanup. Although evaporating visible surface moisture will remove some moisture, moisture that exists within porous building materials, such as carpeting, underlayment, insulation, or any wood substrate (subfloor) present in homes, will remain.
Many times, moisture problems in Water Damage Restoration Lakewood arise as a direct result of moisture existing within these hidden materials long after the exterior of those materials appears to be dry. Drying the surfaces alone usually does not preclude the onset of secondary damage.
Health Safety Risks of DIY Cleanup
Exposure to Contaminated Water
Not all water damage is the same; many times, it will involve gray water and/or black water. Gray water is when washing machines, dishwashers, etc., have leaked, and black water is usually when sewer backups have occurred, or flood water has contaminated the home.
Certified Water Damage Restoration Lakewood professionals wear protective gear and adhere to strict safety procedures during the clean-up of contaminated water. By performing a DIY clean-up of contaminated water, the homeowner may be exposed to unsafe contaminants.
Structural Hazards
Water has the ability to weaken ceilings, flooring, and/or support beams, and entering an area with this type of saturation without first properly assessing the area could be a serious safety concern.
Before any restoration procedure is performed by a professional restoration contractor, they evaluate whether the structure is safe for clean-up to be performed, thereby avoiding accidental injury and ensuring that a safe restoration process can take place.
Insurance and Documentation Benefits
Each claim submitted to an insurance company for damage caused by water should be documented with evidence of the damage. An insurance company may require that an accurate record of the moisture levels, damage assessments, and written reports be provided.
Due to the fact that a DIY clean-up may not have proper documentation, the reimbursement process may be complicated.
For a much easier claims process and to show good faith in the mitigation of damages, you should call a certified professional to your home before taking on a DIY project.
The Long-Term Cost Comparison of DIY vs. Professional Clean-Up
The cost of doing a DIY clean-up may seem cost-effective in the beginning. Long-term repair costs can rise dramatically as a result of not having water and/or mold damage repaired quickly and properly. Professional Water Damage Restoration Services in Lakewood focus on complete mitigation, which helps reduce future recurring problems with water/mold damage.
By doing early intervention with a professional, you will save money in the long run and avoid extensive reconstruction.
When to Call a Professional Immediately
If the following situations exist, you should immediately contact a Water Damage Restoration Company in Lakewood:
- A large area of water exists
- Ceilings and/or walls are soaked
- Sewage contamination issues
- There is a mold odor
- Noticeable signs of bulging or buckling of drywall or flooring
In these cases, professional assistance from a water/mold remediation company is necessary.
Why Speed Is Important in Water Damage Restoration
The longer a water source remains on an item, the greater the extent of the damage. Typical examples: Drywall will begin to absorb moisture within minutes after exposure. As soon as moisture touches wood, it will expand. Additionally, mold will grow almost instantly (within 1–2 days) if moisture is present.
To protect your belongings from ongoing water damage, you can hire certified restoration specialists to assist you. If you call a local water damage company soon after water intrusion, you will have a much higher probability of getting your property restored sooner and with better results.
Conclusion: Use Your Experience to Eliminate All Guesswork
There is an ongoing misconception that water damage is not as serious as hidden moisture, which can result in an unstable structure and/or mold formation. Certified Water Damage Restoration specialists utilize years of experience and state-of-the-art equipment through established procedures to provide the highest quality services for every restoration job they perform.
Also, acting quickly by hiring a certified Water Damage Restoration specialist will protect both your home now and your long-term investment.
When business and property owners in Lakewood, CO, need emergency water removal services, they rely upon Premier Emergency Water Removal to provide reliable, timely service to remove excess water. We are committed to being the best by having highly trained staff who take pride in how they treat our customers. Contact us today to schedule a restoration consultation.
