Water damage is a nightmare for anyone. Between the physical and financial damage, it can put a significant strain on your home life and well-being. If you’ve experienced a flood or other water-related disaster, then you know the dread water damage causes. You’ve also probably experienced a restoration team repairing the damages. But what’s the difference between water restoration and mitigation? Let’s find out.
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What Is Water Damage Mitigation?
Water damage mitigation is the most important step preceding water restoration. The mitigation process focuses on stopping the water and preventing any further damage from occurring. Take a look below at how Cleanup and Total Restoration handles the water mitigation process.
Our Water Mitigation Process
Step 1: Stop the Water
You should try to stop the flow of water before we arrive. Cutting off the source of water before our arrival saves time and speeds up the process. However, if you’re unable to safely stop the water, the CTR team will take care of it.
Step 2: Assess the Damages
Once the water source has been stopped, we can safely assess the damages caused by the flood. We perform this assessment to plan the best course of action and determine the best way to salvage your living space and belongings.
Step 3: Remove or Salvage Furniture and Materials
One of the worst feelings for homeowners following a water disaster is the loss of their belongings. These items are valuable and priceless, which is why we work hard to salvage them. We do this by drying, disinfecting, and deodorizing each item.
Step 4: Extract Water and Dry
Standing water can cause mold growth, rot, and structural damage. It can also lead to health issues and respiratory problems. We use powerful, industrial-strength fans and equipment to extract all water from the saturated area, leaving your space clean and dry.
Step 5: Ensure Property Stability
We can’t start the restoration process until we know your property is structurally sound. Once we can guarantee the integrity of your home hasn’t been compromised, we’ll start the restoration process.
What Is Water Damage Restoration?
While water mitigation is designed to nip future problems in the bud, water damage restoration aims to return the affected area to its original condition. Below is what you can expect during our water restoration process.
Our Water Restoration Process
Step 1: Work With Your Insurance Company
Before we start the restoration process, we’ll work with your insurance provider to evaluate the damages and determine the amount of your claim. Cleanup and Total Restoration works with all major insurance providers.
Step 2: Clean and Disinfect
Next, we’ll get to work on cleaning your carpets, rugs, and upholstery along with disinfecting the area. Harmful bacteria can spread following a flood, which is why we use a strong cleaning solution. This solution also helps prevent the spread of mold.
Step 3: Reconstruct
Once we’ve finished cleaning and disinfecting your space and belongings, we’ll begin repairing the affected area. Depending on the extent of the damage, we’ll work on repairing your roof, ceiling, floor, or walls.
What’s the Difference Between Water Mitigation and Water Restoration?
While water mitigation and restoration are different, both are important parts of the water restoration process. Mitigation should always come before restoration.
When we mitigate, we’re working to stop any further damage while composing an action plan. When we restore, we’re repairing and restoring your space to its pre-loss condition.
Common Misconceptions About Mitigation and Restoration
Common Misconceptions About Mitigation and RestorationMisconception #1
Expense is one of the biggest misconceptions about water mitigation and restoration. Many homeowners believe it’s less expensive to replace everything—but this couldn’t be further from the truth. It’s actually less expensive to hire a professional restoration company like Cleanup and Total Restoration.
Misconception #2
Many homeowners also believe water damage will dry on its own if left alone. But this isn’t true. If left unaddressed, water will eventually create mold and bacteria that can harm the health of your entire household. The only way to make sure your space is safely dried is to get a restoration company on your property.
We Start Mitigating Water Damage in 60 Minutes or Less
Even though water damage mitigation and restoration are different, they’re both integral to the restoration process. For over 30 years, Cleanup and Total Restoration has provided dependable restoration services to Southern Idaho residents.
Get the help you need when you need it by scheduling a service or calling for an emergency dispatch. We promise to be on your property in 60 minutes or less.
