Finding A Reputable Water Damage Company

12/22/2020 (Permalink)

Finding Reputable Water Damage Companies

 Water damage companies often have to work in some grueling circumstances, but their efforts are essential to restoring the home to a healthy state. Floods, sewage backflows, leaky plumbing, or roofing and burst pipes can all cause a massive headache for a homeowner, and they need a professional who is skilled and honest. This is easier said than done as the industry lags behind in terms of oversight. However, there are some simple checks that a homeowner can use to determine whether or not they’re dealing with a reputable business.

What are the signs of reputable water damage companies?

Businesses that perform at a high level have little to hide, so they should be easy to contact and have an established website. As disaster can strike at any time, restoration technicians have to be on call around the clock. Reputable businesses will be available 24 hours a day most days, so the homeowner doesn’t have to wait. The critical period for preventing additional damage is 48 hours. After 48 hours, contaminated fluid will ruin many materials it soaks through, though some organic materials will deteriorate at a faster rate. It’s common for technicians to need to remove drywall, carpeting, baseboards, and casings, but many textiles are salvageable if the technicians respond quickly and the water causing the damage was not sewage. 

If a company can dispatch technicians to the home right away and provide a detailed estimate of the process, this is a good sign. It takes a variety of skills to restore the home to a preloss state, which means the firm will have to maintain a highly skilled and well-trained group of professionals. If a company doesn’t offer all of the services needed to completely restore the home, find one that can. For example, if a firm can't remove mold or other microbial threats, your family may be at a major health risk, even after everything is dried and put back to normal. 

In general, homeowners should only consider water damage companies that have attained certification through a respected training organization. For restoration professionals, this is the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC). IICRC-approved schools have trained up restoration professionals for years, and its classes cover a range of topics pertinent to restoration technicians. This includes the theory of water damage, how it affects the home, what materials are at risk, how to remove excess moisture from the building, how to perform structural drying properly, how to inspect and remove pathogens, and how to save sensitive materials like wooden floors. Attaining certification through the IICRC requires hard work and an ongoing commitment to the field, as registrants must earn continuing education credits annually. Homeowners can rest assured that if they are dealing with a certified crew, they are dealing with some of the best in the business.