Coordinating Steps After Water DamageHand In Hand Dealing with Water Damage

When you call Challis Restoration Services, they rush to the scene of the damage immediately, day or night. Your window of opportunity is so short– mold growth can begin in as little as 48 hours. You need a team to attack the problem quickly, logically and aggressively. Although every water damage situation is different, here is a general plan to maximize the time and minimize damage to your Cedar Rapids establishment:

Safety is Always First

Before going into an area affected by water, electricity in that area of your home must be turned off. If you can safely reach the breaker box, turn off the power. If this requires you to wade through standing water, stay out and let Challis handle it. After electricity is turned off, unplug all electronics to avoid shock.

Stop the Water Source

The most important step is to 1) find where the water is entering into your home and 2) stop or minimize the flow. If water damage is occurring because of an overflowing faucet, then turning off the faucet is easy. But if you have a broken pipe or a slow leak, Challis will turn off the water system and hunt down the source. Fixing this problem will determine the process for your remediations and restoration project.

If you can grab some towels while Challis is on the road, mop it up. Any immediate action will help reduce additional damages. Small areas affected by water damage  in Cedar Rapids might be quickly dried with only towels but areas larger than a few square inches will need professional drying: carpet, pad, wood floors, linoleum, drywall, and damage between floor levels.

Call Your Insurance Agent

After the restoration technicians arrive, your next call is to your insurance agent. You can submit a claim and have your claim number ready for the restoration company.

Working with a full service restoration team will be an advantage during the insurance process. Take pictures and video of the damage before clean up to show a complete picture of your problem. If possible, take pictures of the source, all areas that were affected by the water. Be sure to capture images of anything that is ruined or discarded; you will want all documentation for your insurance claim. Challis will also advise you through the process.

Remove All The Water and Moisture

Challis will extract out the water as quickly as possible using commercial grade extractors. They also clean away silt and sterilize grey or black water damaged areas (i.e. sewage).

Immediately, they begin drying the area immediately to prevent mold growth. Commercial fans and large dehumidifiers dry the area much faster than home units. Proper placement also create cross breezes to reduce drying time.

Now the type of damage, your building materials and even the weather will affect the next steps. Thermal detectors determine exactly what needs to be restored and what is stable. Often dry wall and carpeting cannot be salvaged if it remained wet for too long.

After removing damaged items, Challis will restore your home to its original condition: rebuilding walls, fixing ceilings, restoring flooring, correcting structural damage and repainting.

Call Challis for Your Water Damage Needs

The team at Challis Restoration in Cedar Rapids understands the restoration and recovery process – from first-aid measures and emergency response to technical services and total reconstruction. Over 25 years of experience If you have any questions regarding water damage cleanup in Cedar Rapids, storm damage restoration, sewage damage repair, or flooding cleanup, please contact us.