A Complete Guide on How to Clean up Water Damage in Your Home

When you have water damage, your first instinct may be to panic. But don’t panic! There are professionals on standby ready to help with emergency water clean up situations. You should know that you need to call your insurance company as soon as possible. Filing a claim quickly can mean the difference between a quick, easy fix and irreparable damage.

This guide gives you an easy step-by-step guide to understanding the water damage restoration process. We understand how intimidating it can seem when you have water damage in your home and we are here to help.

If you need emergency restoration services, call Urgent Restoration today! We even offer emergency leak detection services 24/7. We’re on standby ready to help whenever an emergency strikes. Call us anytime, day or night.

Step 1: Contact Your Insurance Company

In most cases, your insurance company will cover the cost to clean up water damage. Unless flooding has occurred in your home, a lot of instances are covered.

In any event, even with a flood, the first thing you want to do is call them to file your claim. Once you have initiated it, you can start looking around for a water removal company that will work with you.

Most likely, your insurance company will want to know:

• Exactly what happened
• The date and time when it happened
• The extent of the damage
• The cause of the damage

They’ll also want documentation and photographs of the damage. And remember, Urgent Restoration will work with your insurance company directly to help you get through your claim.

Step 2: Find the Best Water Removal Company in Lakeland

You are most likely going to need to find a professional contractor to properly clean the damaged area. In an emergency, it’s hard to do the right research to find the right company. But spending even just five to ten minutes searching for a good water damage contractor in Lakeland can prove beneficial.

There are a few things that you should be cautious about when it comes to finding the right water damage restoration company. These are a few things that should be an instant red flag.

• Repetitive negative reviews
• Common issues or concerns among past clients
• Rude, short answers when you contact them
• Vague about pricing or services offered

When you do your research you want to look at customer reviews, the services they offer, whether they deal with insurance or not, and pricing for their services. It is beneficial to do your research because you do not want to work with a company that has a history of negative reviews or poor workmanship. Using just a few minutes of your time is enough to find a good, reliable water removal company in Lakeland like Urgent Restoration.

Even if you need emergency restoration services, you can find a great, reliable water restoration company with just a few extra minutes of research.

Step 3: Assessing the Damage

The first thing you want to do is assess the damage that has occurred. It will be difficult for you to do this on your own. Once you have decided to work with a professional restoration company, you should call them to come onsite and assess the damage. They will bring the necessary equipment they need to start the clean up process.

Once they have assessed the damage they can give you an estimate on the cost of repair. A quality restoration company in Lakeland should be willing to help you with insurance and filing a claim. In most cases, your insurance company will send the funds directly to your contractor once the job has been finished and the claim has been closed.

Damage can occur not just to the floor where the water landed, but also in the insulation, the walls, the drywall, the plaster, and the framing. Having a professional water damage restoration company come in and assess the damage is a smart move. They know exactly where to look and what to look for in terms of water damage.

Step 4: Use Proper Equipment to Remove All Standing Water

Next, you want to begin removing standing water. This should be started as soon as possible. If you choose not to work with a professional to remove all standing water, then there are certain pieces of equipment that you will need to rent or buy. Once you start renting the equipment you need, it will become apparent that you should use a professional water removal contractor to do the job for you, especially if insurance is covering the cost.

Using a water removal company will be much more quick and effective than if you were to try and do it on your own. When you hire a professional to do this for you, they will bring the right equipment to get all the standing water out of your home. Whether you need a pumping or just a shop vac or dry vac to dry the area, your water removal technicians will come prepared with everything they need.

This equipment is vital in the proper clean up of water damage.

Step 5: Ensure the Area Is Fully Dry, Cleaned, and Sanitized

Once the water has been removed, you must ensure the area is fully dry so that there is no remaining moisture in your walls, floor, insulation, or any other area. Once the standing water has been removed, you should start to dry the affected area(s). When you hire a technician, they will use the best equipment and the highest industry standards to thoroughly and quickly dry your home. They have equipment like air movers, dehumidifiers, and air scrubbers to professionally dry your home.

This is also the stage where mold removal and prevention are done. Your water damage contractor will come equipped with devices that will monitor the area and provide readings that will determine if the affected areas are fully dry. This is important to prevent mold growth and mildew.

Trying to do all of this on your own is extremely difficult. Not only do you have to rent or buy the equipment to clear and dry the area, but you also need equipment that monitors the area for leftover moisture. This is a critical step in the restoration process.

Why Should You Choose Urgent Restoration of Winter Haven and Lakeland?

Urgent Restoration of Lakeland is the best water removal company in Winter Haven and Lakeland. We offer services for water damage clean up, fire and smoke damage restoration, and mold remediation.

When you have an emergency, call our team of experts. We are on standby and ready to help whenever you need us – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We understand just how important it is to act quickly when water damage happens and we want to help you restore your home back to normal as soon as possible.

For added peace of mind, Urgent Restoration assists in filing documentation directly with your insurance company. This is another way we help remove the stress of water damage repair.

We fully document the entire process to ensure your insurance claim is handled correctly and you have proper documentation.

Our goal is to quickly and effectively clean up your home while offering you the best in customer service. We pride ourselves on treating each customer like they are our only custmer. Our team wants to get your home back to normal just as badly as you do.

If you need emergency restoration services for a leak or any type of water damage in your home, call Urgent Restoration today!