Water Damage Restoration Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Water damage can cause serious problems throughout your entire home. The excess moisture can cause mold and mildew to grow. This fungus growth can contribute to health problems, including allergies, skin infections and diseases. It can even weaken and compromise the structure of a building. Water damage can warp wooden floors and ruin ceilings, while also causing problems with metal and cement materials.

While there are various levels of water damage, all require special kinds of treatment to ensure that your home or business is restored to a safe, healthy state.

Water damage restoration must be conducted with care, using specific procedures and safeguards. A restoration company will bring in heavy-duty equipment that can mitigate the effects of excess water and dry things out thoroughly. This process may also involve removing damaged parts of the structure. Because some damage is hidden, rely on professionals to get the job done right.

After the initial assessment, Restoration 1 will use the following steps to repair and control the water damage: 

 

Step 1: Dry out the affected areas with large fans, wet vacuums, and pumps. All moist surfaces and carpets will be targeted. 

 

Step 2: Pull up the carpet and padding that cannot be saved. While the team members at Restoration 1 do their best to salvage what they can, some parts of your home may need to be removed. 

 

Step 3: Restore personal belongings. Restoration 1 will work to put all of your books, art, furniture, and other items back in their original places. 

 

Step 4: Clean and dehumidify. To prevent the growth of mold, we will professionally sanitize and dry everything in the home or business. 

 

Throughout each step of the process, at Restoration 1 we make protecting your home and keeping your family safe our number one priority. 

Prices can vary depending on the severity of the damage and the amount of work involved in the restoration process. 

Floods and water damage can be caused by a variety of problems. Some of the most common include: 

  • Leaking dishwashers, washing machines, and pipes 
  • Excess amounts of rain and drainage problems 
  • Clogged sinks or toilets that overflow 
  • Hidden moisture beneath your floors or in your walls 
  • Cracked pipes due to severe weather or faulty plumbing 

Absolutely – and more often than not, you won’t notice that water damage is occurring until the need for repairs has become very obvious! Signs of hidden water damage can be as subtle as an unpleasant odor, or slight staining on the walls and ceilings. You may also notice peeling paint, warped floors, or mold growth in the nooks and crannies of your home or business. 

At the first signs of water damage, you should attempt to air out the property as much as possible. Turn on fans, open windows, and blast the AC if you have to. Hang up your rugs and cushions in a safe, dry location, then collect loose items that are at risk. Mop up as much standing water as you can, and try to keep the moisture from spreading. 

 

As soon as you’ve made the situation somewhat stable, call in an experienced restoration service like Restoration 1. Our highly-trained technicians will bring advanced, heavy-duty equipment to start on your professional water damage treatment right away! 

First things first: Research companies that are certified, licensed, and insured. It’s also smart to go with a company that can respond immediately to your water damage emergency – one that can also offer a 100-percent satisfaction guarantee! Call Restoration 1 so that our trained professionals can give you the prompt, effective service you need. 

First, you should review your insurance policy to see if it covers water damage at all. For example, some policies may cover floods but not mold remediation, while others only handle sewer or drain backups. Find out what your policy covers specifically, so that you understand the terms before speaking with an agent. Because Restoration 1 has experience with all insurance companies, our team can help you navigate the sometimes complex claims process. 

 

Second, make a detailed list of what has been damaged. You should write everything down, from the flooring to the bookshelf that wasn’t salvageable, and so on. You should also keep your receipts and other forms of evidence (including photos) that support your damage claims. 

 

Finally, when you file the claim, it will probably take your company a few days to get back to you. In the meantime, do not begin any permanent repairs to your home. You’ll want to wait for permission to do so before spending money on the restoration process. 

Although the best way to remove standing water is to call in a professional service like Restoration 1 to use heavy-duty equipment, you can attempt to remove some of the water on your own. Use buckets or a water pump to drain the area, then mop up the excess water on the floor.

Fire & Smoke Damage Restoration FAQs

Immediately call 911 when a fire occurs to protect your safety. Once the fire is extinguished, our experts will assess the damage and can start the restoration process.
It can take several hours up to a few weeks to clean up the damage, depending on the severity. Multiple factors come into play, which include the size of the building and the amount of furnishings inside. Once we assess the property, we’ll provide you with an accurate time frame.
We recommend leaving the inspection to our professionals to protect your safety. The structural integrity of the building may be compromised, making it necessary to avoid accessing your home or office.
We encourage our customers to leave the cleanup process to our team. Inhaling residue left by the fire can affect your health, but we use professional safety gear while cleaning.
We’ll attempt to salvage as many of your personal belongings as possible to reduce the loss. The items often need to be cleaned. In some cases, there may be products that are damaged beyond repair.
Many safety issues need to be kept in mind after a fire. Avoid entering the building right away because the structure may be affected. Inhaling dangerous chemicals left by the flames is an additional risk.
The amount of items you can keep depends on the severity of the damage. We’ll remove and salvage as many personal belongings as possible.
During our restoration process, we take inventory of items we recover and will include details on the condition of the product. If the item can’t be salvaged, we’ll provide you with information on proper disposal.
We recommend informing us of special items in the home to ensure we can handle them with a high level of care.
Immediately contact your insurance company to determine how billing works. It’s important to be informed of restrictions or coverages you may not be aware of when filing a claim.
We recommend evaluating your claim to determine if it will have an effect on your premiums before you file. Speaking with your insurance company will offer insight into how they handle claims.
We can speak to your insurance adjuster if they have questions for us.
Our team is capable of finding chemicals in the home with the use of our innovative equipment. Our top concern is everyone’s safety, which is why we take rigorous precautions each step of the restoration process. If the condition of the home is beyond our expertise, we’ll call another professional to assess the damage.
We’re happy to perform upgrades and remodel your home while restoring it. If significant additions are requested, you may want to hire a contractor.

Mold Remediation FAQs

Mildew is a gray color and can be cleaned with household products. Mold is more serious and is green or black in color. A professional is needed to remove the mold correctly and prevent it from returning.

Unlike mildew, mold has a raised surface and is not flat. It is prone to spreading quickly in buildings.

The cost of mold remediation varies depending on the severity of it and how early it’s discovered. The location of the mold and the repairs needed to remove it also influence the cost.

Mold can begin growing after 24 hours and will continue to spread in the following weeks.

We recommend hiring a mold remediation expert who can confirm if mold is present. It can be difficult to know where it has spread without the help of a professional.

Removing mold can take several hours to a few weeks.

The process of mold remediation includes removing the mold and cleaning or sanitizing the area where it was present. Additional treatments may be needed to completely remove it.

Using special equipment and ripping out floors or walls is necessary to confirm the presence of mold. Moisture is a sign that mold may be in certain areas of the building.

Mold is known to cause congestion, sore throat, coughing, skin or eye irritation, and disease.

 

Contact us at 612-268-1961 for your restoration needs in the Greater Minneapolis area. Our team is fully trained and certified and can respond to your call 24/7.